RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has failed to connect the computerised traffic control system installed on Murree Road with the control room even after many years.

A senior official of the RDA told Dawn that the Urban Traffic Control System was installed on Murree Road in 2011 but three years later the system was switched off when work on the metro bus project started.

Under the system, all the signals automatically turn red and green according to the volume of the traffic through special censors.

He said the RDA spent Rs32 million on the purchase of the system but it remained useless as the control room established at the RDA office was yet to be made functional. He said CCTV cameras and censors had been installed on Murree Road from Marrir Chowk to Faizabad.

The official said the RDA had been working on other projects leaving the system unattended. He said if the system developed faults the RDA would have to spend more money on its repair as the warranty of the system would expire in a few months.

A senior official of the traffic police told Dawn that the RDA should coordinate and take the traffic police on board about the system. He said the traffic police were facing a shortage of wardens and such a system would help them regulate the traffic on Murree Road.

When contacted, RDA spokesman Mohammad Irfan admitted that the UTC system was not in a working condition as there was a need for funds from the provincial government.

He said as soon as the RDA received funds the system would be made functional.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2017