July 07, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1428

GUJRANWALA, July 6: Gujranwala is the fifth largest city of Punjab and has a population of two million, but all its major roads are without traffic signals. As a result, the city is suffering from the worst traffic disorders, and even an army of traffic police has failed to handle the situation.

According to a survey report gleaned by Dawn, Chand da Qila Bypass, Lahori Bus Stop, Nigar Phatac, Sheranwala Bagh, Adda Godlanwala, General Bus Stand, Trust Plaza Chowk, Sharifpura Underpass, Shaheenabad, Rawalpindi Bypass, Sialkot Bypass, Farid Town, Upper Chenab Canal Bridge on Pasrur Road, Ferozewala Bridge, Pipliwala, Nawab Chowk, Alipur Bypass, Awan Chowk, Khiali Chowk, Alam Chowk, Jinnah Road and Dhulley Chowk are the worst hit by traffic jams because several government offices, hospitals, educational institutions, recreation parks and markets are located in these areas.

Buses of franchised companies, oil-tankers, trailers and slow-moving traffic usually disrupt traffic on GT Road. Buses have claimed lives of several people on the overcrowded GT Road. Shopkeepers have occupied the service road on the right side of GT Road, forcing all slow-moving traffic to run on the main road.

The traffic police deployed on various roads of the city remain busy in minting money from the people instead of clearing the traffic on roads.

The police had installed signals at the Rawalpindi Bypass intersection a few years ago, but they were disconnected after the district council did not pay for the electricity consumed by these signals for two years. Later, nobody tried to reconnect these signals.

According to the report, the traffic police identified 32 places in the city where signals were imperative for a smooth flow of traffic and submitted a report in this regard to the government in 2006.

Later, Parliamentary Secretary Nayer Murtaza Lone visited seven of these places in the city along with traffic police officials and promised that she would get these signals installed soon, but there is no development even after a lapse of six months.

Chief Traffic Officer Iftikharul Haq said the city was without traffic signals, but the police were in touch with Ms Lone regarding installation of the same at all important points.

Ms Lone said traffic signals would be installed at seven places in the first phase, and added the Punjab government would provide funds for the purpose.

Taufiq Butt, the opposition leader in the district council, said the city district government did not allocate funds in its 2007-08 budget for the installation of signals in the city.