KARACHI, July 8: The fate of the driver training institute remains undecided, as its notification has not yet been issued by the Sindh Transport Department, despite the directives of transport minister.

Recurrent road accidents, in the country, as well as in the city, claiming many human lives daily, reflect the lake of training and road safety education among drivers.

Reportedly, 70 per cent of the accidents occur due to drivers’ attitude toward the rules, as the literacy rate among the drivers is considerably low.

Keeping in view the dreadful situation of road accidents, the Transport and Communication department of the City District Government, Karachi, (CDGK) planned to initiate driver training institute, as part of its Urban Transport Scheme (UTS), designed to improve the public transport system of the city for the convenience of the people.

The institute has been planned to start in the defunct Karachi Transport Corporation’s training school at the Manghopir Road, SITE, having capacity of accommodating 300 persons at one time, lying abandoned after the closure of KTC.

Sindh cabinet had approved the plan on June 20, 2002, and had directed to establish the institute as soon as possible, but the new provincial government, allegedly ignored the matter for sometime.

Executive district officer, Transport and Communication, CDGK, Dr Tahir Soomro, while talking to the PPI said that he had informed the provincial transport minister Adil Siddiqui about the plan after the minister took charge of the department, and asked him to take action in this regard.

Taking notice, the minister wrote a letter, dated February 3, 2003, for issuance of notification to this effect, Mr Somroo said.

Expressing ignorance regarding the cause of non-issuance of the notification the EDO said that the institute was must for educating the drivers about the traffic rules and regulations.

No official of Sindh transport department was available for comments on the issue, when contacted.—PPI