Sindh government is planning and working hard to create better facilities for the people of Karachi. Undoubtedly they have done extremely well in the health sector. But are lagging behind in education, transport sector and water management. The sewerage system coupled with garbage needs immediate attention. Except Shah -ra-Faisal there is huge network of broken and uneven roads remains main cause of traffic jams. Karachi being metropolitan city remains main attraction for the people of other provinces who visit Karachi in search of jobs due to better and more job opportunities. As a result Karachi always remains under pressure to manage basic facilities. People keep facing power gas and water shortages. But most neglected field has been city roads and poor control of hap hazard traffic by Karachi traffic police.
The main conveyance of Karachites is motor bikes. As this was not enough Sind Government through notification has introduced new rates of fines on traffic violators known as e-challan that is followed throughout the world. Sind Police apparently performing duties of Federal Board of Revenue to collect revenue by imposing heavy fines. The rates are so high and unreasonable that people of Karachi who are already pressed hard to eat two meals a day, this single action of government of Sind has brought more miseries. There is no rational in fines. A person earning average salary of Rs 30 to 50000 is most hit and if he is forced to pay fine tantamount to forcing him to starve his family. The purpose of traffic police is to regulate traffic and educate about traffic rules and help them to provide to move at ease. Fine is no substitute of traffic violations that is due to congestion and broken roads. As per statement of Minister of Transport Green Line BT service will be available by December. Orange Line BRT has been completed. Red Line and Yellow BRT projects to be expedited. Naturally when all these projects are completed it will bring relief to people of Karachi.It will be unfair if pathetic state of university road is not mentioned that needs immediate completion by working round the clock.
But here my focus is performance of traffic police on major arteries of Karachi who do try their best but until and unless they improve upon their existing system of checking, the people cannot get proper relief and overcoming traffic jam shall remain dream of commuters. The DIG Traffic deserves appreciation for being helpful to general public and fairly a kind hearted person and soft on poor people has also advised traffic police to be courteous to commuters. Before giving suggestions for improvement, let us find out the root cause and flaws of traffic congestion throughout Karachi.
1. Lack of enforcement of traffic rules due to selective and institutional concessions
2. Illegal parking of vehicles under police arrangements thus reducing the size of roads to half
3. Allowing heavy traffic and water bowsers on busy roads during rush hours
4. Motor Cyclists moving in fast lane middle lane and infact moving in all directions
5. Motor cyclists driving without helmets, ome Motor cyclists carrying helmets but not wearing. 99.9% Motor cycles are without side mirrors
6. Stop 5 motor cyclists any time on any road their number plates are different
7. Mostly motor cyclists violate one way traffic mainly due to broken roads.
8. Vehicles with “Black Mirrors and Black papers”
9. Motor cyclists driving with more than two people
10. Teen agers driving in front of traffic police
11. Commuters not stopping on Zebra crossing
12. Breaking of traffic signal common habit
13. Commuters covering half the road in anticipation without waiting for signal lights
14.Motor cyclists reading messages on their mobile phones and car drivers using mobiles while driving
15. Drivers carrying incomplete documents
16. Rikshaw drivers wearing slippers instead of proper shoes
17. Overloading in Rikshaws and Suzukis
18 Stopping of vehicles at the corner of roads and in the middle of road thus causing willful traffic jam
19. Government vehicles violating traffic rules
20.Commuters breaking signals in presence of traffic police
21. No checking by traffic police against drivers driving in second and third lane while turning left or turning right
22. Vehicles back lights not working
23. Encroachment of shop keepers throughout Karachi and hotel operators covering half the road besides foot path by putting chairs and tables
24. Instant challan on violations instead rendering advise
25. Selective checking and ignoring major defaulters
26. SOP not followed after accident
27. Old damaged Coaches Plying on the road
28. Overspeeding
These are some of the points many more can be added in the list. However,if some preventive measures are taken by traffic police situation can be improved. Traffic Police is not revenue collecting agency, they are neither tax collectors. They should educate people instead imposing fines. WAY OUT. Heavy fines are not enough: CM Sindh must enforce Lane Discipline to solve 80% of traffic chaos. The missing piece in Sindh’s Traffic Reforms remains Lane Discipline. For proper traffic flow all roads be cleared of encroachments from each district giving them warning of one week. All tinted glasses vehicles be confiscated. It is 75 years now we are watching this exercise along with Rangers and traffic police seen removing the black sheets from only to reappear after few days. Confiscate vehicles for 15 days with heavy fine. Traffic police in all districts while moving in their transport must carry PA system and keep telling all motor cyclists and rickshaw drivers coach drivers to move on extreme left of the road atleast for a week and after cushion period be heavily fined and transport confiscated for 15 days.
If we can enforce this discipline 80 % traffic problems shall be over.
