PESHAWAR: The provincial government launched traffic warden system in the provincial metropolis on Thursday to ensure traffic education and facilitation of people by replacing the old setup.

The new system was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak at Malik Saad Khan Police Lines. IGP Nasir Khan Durrani also spoke on the occasion and shared details about traffic problems and gave suggestions for further improvement of the system.

The chief minister said that in the second phase the traffic warden services would be extended to Abbottabad and Swat. “In summer season, people usually face serious problems, especially with the influx of tourists,” he added.

Mr Khattak said that government had focused on legislation to uproot corruption, ensure provision of rights to people and bring an end to injustices. “We have given full independence to police to recruit and deploy personnel with a free hand without political interference but the government will ask for the required results,” he said.

Khattak says old public transport vehicles will be removed from roads

The chief minister said that government wanted to give autonomy to hospitals and colleges so that the institutions could be strengthened to achieve the required objectives regarding change in the fate of poor people.

Mr Khattak said that the lawmakers did not have anything with the development funds as it was duty of the local governments to carry out uplift projects and resolve civic problems being faced by people.

“We have shared our powers with the local governments so that joint efforts can be made for welfare of people,” the chief minister said. He added that transparency was their top priority to ensure implementation of the merit policy and provision of due rights to the deserving people.

About the efforts for improvement of the traffic system, Mr Khattak said that the outdated public transport vehicles would be removed from the roads with launching of 100 new air-conditioned buses. He said that in the past, rulers focused on accumulating of money through unfair means but his government would not let anyone do so.

Responding to the demands raised by the IGP regarding setting up of traffic engineering and planning agency, provision of quality vehicles to traffic wardens, construction of parking bays and release of funds, the chief minister said that government would extend full support to police if they proved their mettle.

Earlier, the IGP said that population of Peshawar was over seven million where new roads were not constructed but the number of the vehicles was increasing fast. He said that there was need to install new traffic signals at the busy intersections in the city areas and pay full attention to traffic engineering. He said that despite lack of resources, the first phase of traffic warden services was launched by repairing the old vehicles with the hope to get funds for meeting the requirements.

The IGP said that they would complete all the three phases of the traffic warden system during the next six months.

Retired Captain Wahid Mehmood, the chief traffic warden, also spoke about the basic four salient features of the new traffic system. He said that the new system was based on creation of awareness, facilitation, enforcement and internal accountability.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2015

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