ISLAMABAD: Despite repeated requests from the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITC) to install road signs and demarcate lanes on major thoroughfares in the capital, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed to provide road users with mandatory assistance.

Commuters have also complained that missing facilities on various avenues, such as 9th Avenue, Islamabad Expressway, Kashmir Highway, Park Road and others, pose a threat to the lives and property of citizens.

According to a 2013 World Health Organisation report, road accidents will become the fifth major cause of death by 2030; children, pedestrians, cyclists and the elderly are among the most vulnerable.

ITP Superintendent of Police (SSP) Farrukh Rashid told this agency that the department has written more than 2,000 letters to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and indicated several areas across the city for these traffic tools and signs.

He criticised the apparent lack of response in the matter and called for stronger coordination between the two entities to rectify the current situation.

Linking the enforcement of traffic rules with road furniture, he said the missing facilities was the main hurdle behind the week implementation of laws.

Fundamental components on roads, including traffic signs and signage, warning boards, zebra crossings, lane markings and signal lights not only inculcate traffic sense among citizens but also help traffic police effectively enforce rules and regulations in the city.

He said the lack of warning boards undermines the ITP’s efficiency and hinders traffic personnel from issuing tickets to violators without warning. He emphasised the need for such a facility so that the latter cannot challenge violations.

How can a commuter learn the speed limit on a commuting road without a warning board about the speed limit, he asked.

When the MCI was contacted, an official source in the road and maintenance department said the corporation is currently facing financial constraints and was not able to materialise a single plan in this regard.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2019