FAISALABAD, June 21: The local traffic police have invented a novel technique for maintaining a smooth flow of traffic on two-lane roads, according to which one of the lanes is reserved only for overtaking.

This step has caused serious accidents and traffic jams, and one cannot understand the rationale behind the decision.

Large signboards carrying warnings about reservation of the right-hand lanes for overtaking have been placed on 11 major roads, including the Jail Rod, Jhang Road, Samundri Road, Satiana Road, Jaranwala Road, Canal Road, Sargodha Road and the Sheikhupura Road. The drivers have been instructed to strictly adhere to the left-hand lane.

According to the general practice, on two-lane driveways, the left-hand lane is reserved for slow-moving traffic. How is it possible to squeeze the whole traffic on one lane in a city where animal-driven carts alone number 40,000 besides hand-driven carts and encroachments. In these circumstances, keeping the lane on the right exclusively reserved for overtaking is simply beyond comprehension.

It would be interesting to note that even commercial vehicle-drivers have expressed reservations about the effectiveness of the queer technique.

According to them, the novel idea has not been adopted for traffic control on any highway. Moreover, if this system is followed and the traffic moving in the lane on the right stops in the left one on reaching road intersections, traffic jams will occur.

Another alarming feature is that no reflector has been fixed on the signboards set up on roads advising drivers to stay on the left and use the other lane for overtaking only, which is a cause of serious accidents especially at night.

A retired traffic engineer told this correspondent that to keep the vehicular traffic moving in an organized way and eliminate risk of accidents, provision was always made on highways for a lane on the extreme right side for overtaking. However, he added, on city roads, such a scheme was not practicable due to the existence of only two lanes, a number of U-turns and encroachments, parked vehicles and other impediments on a major part of the left lane.

This step, according to him, had proved non-productive. He was of the opinion that the traffic bosses should review the decision of earmarking one lane for overtaking only.

Meanwhile, the new traffic system on city roads has also created resentment among drivers.