KARACHI: No rallies can be organized on any of the city’s important roads, said orders from Governor House Thursday, according to an official handout. The orders were passed to ensure that traffic is not disrupted.
Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan directed officials to also streamline the traffic flow in the city according to orders of the Supreme Court. He issued these directives at a high-level meeting at the Governor House. The officials also discussed that 6,000 graduates would be recruited in the traffic police to improve the system.
“The recruited traffic personnel will be trained on the lines of the Motorway Police at a cost Rs 107 million,” said Ibad. Around 30 volunteers would be appointed in each town to ensure the smooth flow of traffic under the community policing system during Ramadan.
He said that arrangements had also been made to impart weeklong training to these volunteers. The governor directed officials to ensure the removal of all encroachments from roads besides taking other steps to improve traffic flow in the city. If encroachments resurface on roads, officials of relevant police stations and traffic section would be held responsible, he warned.
Meanwhile, the traffic police have challaned 187,232 vehicles and fined people Rs 24.22 million while taking action against smoke-emitting, noise-creating and other vehicles involved in traffic violations from January 1, 2004 to August 20, 2007, the Sindh High Court (SHC) was informed Thursday.
The SHC’s single bench, comprising Anwar Zaheer Jamali was hearing a petition by Advocate Islamuddin against smoke-emitting and noise-creating vehicles and illegal bus terminals in the city.
DIG Traffic Wajid Ali Khan Durrani appeared on a court notice and submitted a detailed report of actions taken by the traffic police against vehicles violating traffic laws in compliance with the SHC direction.
The traffic police challaned 36,392 smoke-emitting and 38,192 noisy vehicles and imposed a fine of Rs 7.278 million and Rs 3.189 million on them, respectively. Some 112,648 people were challaned for using irregular or fancy number plates, pressure horns, tampered meters, or for playing music in public vehicles and driving unregistered vehicles.
Durrani submitted that fitness certificates of some 50,707 smoke-emitting, noisy and other HTV, LTV trucks, buses, coaches and other vehicles were also suspended or cancelled during road checking. The fitness certificates of 9,082 vehicles were cancelled for smoke, 14,977 for noisy silencers, 17,887 for tampered meters and the certificates of 8,761 vehicles were suspended for other defects.
About 125,000 vehicles were rejected for certificate renewals after inspection for defects. Some 5,410 of these were HTV trucks, 12,362 LTV trucks, 6,489 buses, 10,446 mini buses, 5,172 coaches, 15,470 taxis, 5,312 yellow cabs and 63,844 were other vehicles, which were not allowed on the roads.
Some 2,482 vehicles, including 292 buses, 259 mini buses, 268 coaches, 273 trucks, trailers, 411 taxis, 152 mini trucks and pickups, were also detained due to excessive smoke and noise pollution from April 26, 2006 to August 20, 2007.
This report has been recorded and the next court hearing is on August 30. ppi