LAHORE: The city traffic police (CTP), having a prime objective of regulating traffic, have virtually been turned into a “revenue generating agency” by their bosses who seem to be more interested in slapping fines on rules violators instead of facilitating the law-abiding drivers on the roads.

The view is substantiated if one looks at the hefty amount of revenue generated by the CTP that amounts to Rs500 million in 2015, collected by imposing fines on the violators through five campaigns, particularly the recent one for “sensitising” drivers on the use of seat belts and helmets.

This approach of the chief traffic officer (CTO) seems especially out of place when people in Lahore are facing some of the worst traffic jams witnessed in the city.

The traffic blockages on most of the city’s main roads have become acute since the government has launched road infrastructure projects.

CCPO says he will ask CTO to set his priorities right

Ignoring the chief minister’s directions for ensuring smooth flow of traffic, CTO Tayab Hafeez Cheema issued an order to the wardens to launch a crackdown on motorcyclists who didn’t wear helmets, an official privy to the information told Dawn.

Instead of providing relief to the motorists who suffered on Tuesday a horrible gridlock, the CTO’s focus on imposing more fines on helmet rule violators showed how wrong were his priorities, he said.

He said the hefty sum of Rs500 million was mainly generated through drives for helmet and seat belt use, against tinted glasses, juvenile drivers, vehicles without number plates, or having illegal ones, and against one-wheelers.

Further sharing the official statistics, he revealed that 200,800 fine tickets were issued to the violators in the drive for helmet use, 128,600 for not using seat belt, 76,084 for using tinted glasses, 36,623 for not using number plates, etc.

A minimum fine of Rs200 was imposed on motorcyclists while Rs500 on car riders and Rs1,000 on those who were driving public service vehicles/private or public carriers.

Out of the 24 codes mentioned on the challan slip, the category of Rs200 and Rs500 fines was used maximum in number for imposing fines.

About internal arrangement for fine collection, he said 500 wardens were issued challan books daily. Of them, 250 each work in two shifts from 7am to 11pm, he added.

A warden had been strictly directed to impose fine on at least four ‘violators’ daily to get the revenue target, he said. They were warned of departmental action for not implementing the orders in letter and spirit.

The CTO did not respond to text messages and calls made by the reporter for his version.

Capital City Police Officer retired Capt Amin Wains said the traffic police officials should adopt a balanced approach to address the issues.

He said the implementation of laws alone was not enough to address the traffic issues.

“I’ll personally look into the matter and ask the CTO to set his priorities right, to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city instead of launching a crackdown on motorists,” Mr Wains said, adding some massive development works and protests also caused traffic mess in the provincial metropolis.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2016