KARACHI: Traffic jams a permanent nuisance for commuters
KARACHI, Oct 26: Commuters in the entire metropolis face immense hardship in reaching their destination on their desired time owing to a lot of problems related to traffic flow. Such problems turn more serious during peak hours.
There are widespread complaints about inoperative traffic signals, absence of traffic police, lack of police monitoring at bus stops and proper check on public transport vehicles’ halt at non-designated stops and unchecked violation of traffic rules by drivers of public transport vehicles.
While these problems result in traffic jams, sometimes massive, commuters have to pay the cost by getting late in reaching their destination and often suffering losses.
Though traffic jams are, at least, considered to be a major problem worth discussing at an appropriate level, the loss of time has never been regarded as important by those at the helm of the affairs. Nor are the fatigue, distress, hazards, risks and many other such things have ever been viewed as compensation-warranting pains. The hazards do include a great deal of smoke that is emitted by a large number of jammed vehicles as well as the unendurable noise of horns which often surrounds the whole of a locality affected by traffic jam.
No institution exists in the country to gauge the intensity of the pain or amount of losses suffered by the victims of traffic jam.
On many an occasions, traffic signals are switched off go out of order even during peak rush hours giving drivers of public transport vehicles a free hand to deal with other vehicles and people around (come what may). If there is a policeman posted at such a signal as an alternative, he would be invisible because of a traffic mess around him. In case there are more than two policemen controlling traffic on a jammed intersection, it is quite unthinkable that they could coordinate their efforts or communicate among each other about normalizing the flow.
When discussing traffic jam problem, the relevant officials attribute inoperative signals to power breakdowns. However, affected commuters do not agree with them. They claim that in many cases, it is observed that policemen on duty switch off the signals so that they could have an opportunity to bargain illegal gratification with erroneous drivers amid a disorder. In other words, the policemen create possibilities of a fault by drivers.
If the reason assigned by the authorities is deemed right, delinking of signals from the regular power supply lines may solve the problem. There are examples where separate electric connections are given to essential utilities to avoid any lapse owing to a power breakdown. Similarly, coordination among policemen on duty at same place can be ensured by establishing a wireless communication system. The problem of proper signalling through manual traffic control can also be solved by placing the control post high above the ground or a prominent place from where drivers of all type and size of vehicles could see them.
It is observed that traffic jams occur in an increased frequency during Ramazan because of vendors encroaching upon a bigger portion of roads than they do in other months. Coupled with the encroachment, the practice of switching off traffic signals for manual operation aggravates the situation and long queues of jammed vehicles are seen everywhere in shopping areas and main thoroughfares.
It is quite necessary for the traffic police to ensure proper maintenance of the traffic signals in the city and to avoid resorting to manual controlling so that risk of traffic jams is averted.—APP
