LAHORE, Oct 13: Traffic management is very poor in Shaikhupura, Okara and Kasur districts, SSP (headquarters) Syed Ibne Hussain has been reminding the supervisors of these districts for the last three months.

According to one of the letters from the SSP office, the traffic in these cities is characterized by reckless driving, over-speeding and an inadequately manned and unruly transport system.

Another letter says the mounting problems pose a serious challenge to the local government authorities in the three districts.

Besides poor traffic management, environmental pollution has also been highlighted as one of the main problems in the three districts.

The letter says life expectancy of traffic officials has decreased by 10 per cent. Constant exposure to fumes and lead could be the reason, it added.

Yet another letter to the supervisors suggesting remedial measures says the traffic police in collaboration with the concerned authorities should take appropriate steps to control environmental pollution.

The education campaign that has already been launched should be pursued vigorously. A two-day workshop should be arranged for the training of drivers and pedestrians. Handbills highlighting traffic rules and road sense and measures to control the pollution should be distributed among the participants of this workshop.

Stating bribe as another reason for poor management, the SSP wrote in a memorandum that the traffic police were accustomed to taking bribe. “The undersigned has desired that such practices be stopped forthwith. We should deploy special squads to apprehend the officials involved in the practice.”

To control poor management, the memorandum suggested that the supervisory officers should make traffic model zones for which they could engage more police. A traffic management committee could also be formed with the involvement of transporters, citizens and other departments concerned, it says.

The committee should hold weekly meetings to monitor all aspects of traffic, from enforcement of rules to removal of engineering faults in roads and highways, it suggested. Legal measures should be adopted to stop drivers from violating traffic rules.

Section 279 of the PPC, which recommends two years of rigorous imprisonment in cases of negligent or reckless driving on highways, should be applied on commercial drivers, the memorandum says and adds that this is something which has never been done before in letter and spirit.