KARACHI, Oct 23: Although the Sindh government has asked the city government to continue with its traffic volunteer system in the metropolis, the latter is unwilling to do so on a temporary basis and without regulatory powers.
During Ramazan, the city government and certain towns had engaged volunteers to assist traffic police in ensuring a smooth flow of traffic on busy thoroughfares in the morning and evening peak hours.
The services of over 1,500 volunteers were hired only for one month and at present the city’s traffic is being regulated by traffic police only. But a shortage of manpower makes it almost impossible for traffic police to effectively regulate the uncontrolled traffic of the city.
Sources in the city government told Dawn that the Sindh governor, the inspector-general of police and the chief secretary wanted the volunteer system to be in place on a permanent basis in order to improve the worsening traffic situation of the city.
However, the sources said City Nazim Mustafa Kamal repeated his demand that the provincial government place traffic police under the administrative control of the city government and delegate powers to volunteers so that they could effectively regulate traffic and take action against violators.
Mr Kamal told Dawn that the city government was ready to hire the services of volunteers on a contract basis provided the Sindh government delegated the regulatory authority to it. “I have approached the Sindh government to seek the authority to regulate traffic as we cannot work without having powers to book smoke-emitting vehicles or other traffic violators.“We have already proved that traffic regulation is basically the responsibility of the local government and we can also help solve the traffic problem on a permanent basis if the Sindh government places traffic police under the city government’s administrative control,” he said.
The sources said the Sindh government was considering delegating authority to the city government’s volunteers but it was reluctant to place traffic police under its control owing to the fact that the force was being assigned VVIP duties.
“The Sindh government’s response is very positive and if they delegate authority to us, we will be able to introduce the traffic warden system within a fortnight after making necessary recruitment,” Mr Kamal added.
However, he did not agree to the notion that the traffic volunteers or warden would also indulge in corrupt practices as did most of the traffic police officials. “Our 18 town nazims and 178 union council nazims will put a strict check on the traffic wardens. Besides, people can also lodge their complaints on citizens’ complaint and information management system or on ‘1339’ and we will maintain zero tolerance for those found guilty of misconduct.”
About the hiring process, he said that the whole process would be transparent and would not be tainted by allegations of favouritism.
He said some 6,000 volunteers were needed to regulate traffic in the metropolis. However, in the first phase 2,000 volunteers would be enough to work with the existing strength of traffic police, he added.
Meanwhile, keeping in view the ongoing development work to build flyovers, Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town is going to resume its traffic volunteer system next week.
Gulshan Town nazim Wasey Jalil told Dawn that some 50 to 60 volunteers would be assisting traffic police at four busy points of the town from Monday. “I have proposed to the city nazim to allow the resumption of this system on a permanent basis all over the city.”
