ISLAMABAD: After the trial run of a portable solar traffic signal proved successful, the capital police have decided to introduce more such signals.

Talking to Dawn, police officials said 22 traffic signals are out of order and the portable signals could serve as a useful replacement.

Islamabad Traffic Police had contacted the concerned department of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) many times but the requests were ignored.

The officials said SSP Traffic Malik Matloob requested other police officials to approach their friends for donations which would be used to purchase portable signals.

When asked, SSP Matloob said a portable solar traffic signal costs Rs700,000. A friend of the IGP has donated a signal and another will do so in a couple of days.

He said the CDA’s reply in this regard was not encouraging and that the authority was making excuses for the shortage of funds.

“We need 20 more signals for the city and efforts are being made to arrange them through donations,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2018