SIALKOT, July 5: Only two of the 62 traffic signals in the city are working while the remaining are out of order for the last several months due to the slackness of Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and traffic police. None of them has paid attention to improve the situation despite repeated appeals by the people.

It has encouraged the daredevils to ignore traffic rules, risking not only their lives but the lives of others too. Traffic police seemed to be helpless in controlling the situation. As a result of rules violations, traffic jams and accidents have become a daily routine.

It is observed that the drivers of public service vehicles are the worst offenders. They seldom pay attention to rules and park their vehicles in the middle of the road to pick and drop passengers. Most of the traffic policemen often found busy in eating and smoking and not discharging their duties.

Motorists also violate one-way roads. Even policemen do not bother to follow the one-way rule.

Traffic at Pul Aik, Kutchery Road, Abbot Road, Paris Road, Lorry Adda and Kashmir Road remains stuck for hours during peak hours due to negligence of policemen.

It is also witnessed that a large number of minors and handicapped are driving motorcycle rickshaws without licence. The traffic police never tried to check this violation.

To compound the problems, almost every road is in dilapidated condition. Travelling on the 46 kilometres long Sialkot-Daska-Gujranwala Road has become dangerous because of its rundown condition and reckless driving by the driver of public transport. The number of fatal accidents on this road has significantly increased during the last couple of months. The road was constructed and widened about 15 years ago. Since then traffic flow on it has risen by almost four times which caused damage to it.

When contacted, the traffic police officer said shortage of personnel was the main cause of police failure to control traffic.

The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and other traders’ bodies have demanded the Punjab government to pay attention to the situation.