PESHAWAR: Traffic congestion in the provincial metropolis is one of the vexing problems being felt by most of the local population and visitors coming from different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The problem exists mainly due to the lack of will and coordination among various relevant departments and sufficient road infrastructure for the growing number of vehicles.

According to sources in the provincial transport department and traffic police, there is no mechanism in place to collect data of the total number of vehicles plying on the Peshawar’s roads in routine, but registration figures of only auto-rickshaws at the transport department show hundred per cent increase in their number during past six years.

The roads are insufficient to accommodate the existing load of vehicles, but the provincial government has started introducing new transport schemes. Though the government claims to have planned new roads, apparently there seems no chance for new roads, bypasses and service roads to accommodate the huge traffic and as a result the citizens have to endure traffic congestions. In case of a single protest demonstration on any of the roads or a VVIP movement the traffic becomes choked and remains clogged for the whole day.

Of the estimated 50,000 auto-rickshaws in Peshawar only 16,646 are registered and half of them are fitted with two-stroke engine, which are not allowed due to negative impacts on the environment. The government is duty-bound to keep the number of rickshaws at certain level, but it allowed free of cost registration of the tri-wheelers.

The total number of passenger vehicles in Peshawar is 43,759 which include 526 buses, 1,146 mini-buses, 4,069 coaches, 9,623 trucks, tankers and delivery vans (loading vehicles), 4,432 vans and pickups, 644 station wagons, 8,503 yellow cabs, 8,243 two-stroke rickshaws, 8,503 four-stroke CNG-fitted rickshaws, and 3,508 mini-trucks (loading vehicles). These vehicles have route permits, but the data of other private vehicles like cars and motorbikes is not available.

The number of passenger vehicles in Peshawar is increasing with each passing day, but none of the relevant departments has the data. The provincial government is least bothered to streamline the transport department by giving it the powers to ensure implementation of rules at least to remove the outdated vehicles, shut illegal stands and arrest the people involved in preparation of fake registrations/route permits of passenger vehicles. There are reports that scores of passenger vehicles are plying on fake documents, but traffic police personnel have to leave them by saying that it is the duty of transport department to take action.

Unfortunately, the influential people in connivance with officials of different departments have opened illegal stands for buses, vans, rickshaws, rent-a-car, and even trucks both in the limits of city and cantonment areas. These illegal stands are a constant headache for the citizens as the drivers have to pick and drop passengers on the roads and same is the case of loading vehicles.

The illegal stands located in cantonment area could be seen at Shafi Market Saddar, outside excise office on Shami Road, Dabgari Garden, Khalid bin Waleed Park, Islamia Road, Cinema Road, Bara Road, Shoba Bazaar, Cycle Mandi, Hakimullah Jan Road, Super Market, opposite Jan Bakers, etc.

In the city areas one can observe illegal stands at various main points, but no official bothers to take action against them. One of the reasons stated by the officials concerned is unavailability of alternative space for the stands. There is no official auction of these stands and the stands’ operatives are charging the customers at will.

A number of illegal truck stands are also located on Ring Road which had been shut during a drive against encroachment, but later allowed simply on payment of Rs20,000 for each stand. In case the transport department is empowered to auction these stands it can earn millions of rupees in revenue for the provincial government. Presently, the opening fee and then annual charges of a stand is Rs35,000, but the money goes to various departments.

A senior police official said that all the departments should fulfil their duties to replace all the outdated traffic signals, reconstruct/repair the roads, remove encroachments and shut all the illegal stands, especially those located along the roads to minimise traffic issues. He admitted presence of ‘black sheep’ in the department.

All Peshawar Auto-rickshaw Union president Amanullah, when contacted, said that there were over 45,000 rickshaws and most of them were illegal. He admitted that many of the rickshaws had displayed similar registration numbers and the owners bring them on roads at different times to dodge the traffic police.

Mr Amanullah opposed the decision of provincial government to issue new registration numbers, saying this would aggravate the traffic situation. He urged the government to take a decisive action against illegal vehicles to minimise traffic problems. He also opposed registration of taxicabs and transfer of passenger vehicles from different districts to Peshawar.

When contacted, transport minister Shad Mohammad said that the entire revenue was going to the local government, Pakistan Railways, traffic police and Cantonment Board Peshawar while responsibility to regulate the traffic rested with the transport department.

“I have talked to Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to help me reform the transport department, but in vain. The transport department had got the powers to issue driving licences, but the same powers were also given to the police,” he said.

However, the minister claimed that his department had introduced solar-run rickshaws and worked on the mass transit plan to facilitate the people. He said that police were least bothered to regulate traffic rather they were more interested in penalising the transport operatives for their own 35 per cent share in money coming from fines.

“There are strong mafias in the transport system, which are obstructing reforms. The government will have to take drastic steps for improvement of the system to materialise the slogan of change,” said the minister.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2016