WITH the increase in traffic over the years we witness traffic jams at crossings everywhere in Islamabad.

A study of traffic lights at these crossings is that the duration of the lighting system does not cater for the increase in the density of the traffic around these places. Their duration is long enough to cater for the lesser density of vehicular traffic. However, during peak hours when their duration needs to be increased, it is not done and therefore results in traffic jams.

Sometimes a traffic policeman standing nearby steps in and starts regulating the traffic or he goes to the switchboard and starts controlling the duration of signals.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to have a policeman on all the crossings in the city. Hence the result is a traffic mess at these unmanned sites.

During my recent visit to Australia I noticed that they have remote control rooms nearby, fully manned where the traffic density on roads is constantly monitored. The duration of the traffic signal is increased or decreased depending on traffic densities in a particular area.

I did not see any policeman on any crossing during my two months stay there. There is a need to adopt a similar system to relieve the motorists of the immense inconvenience that is caused owing to traffic jams.

Cdre (r) Sajjad Ali Shah Bokhari

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2019