ISLAMABAD: Like the loose grip of the local administrations of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad over unbridled prices, they have also failed to implement traffic rules in both cities, especially in light of a significant increase in the number of vehicles and motorbikes.

According to Excise and Taxation Office (ETO) Islamabad administration, more than 300 vehicles and about 1,000 motorcycles are being registered every day in the federal capital. On the other hand, no traffic rules implementation campaigns have been seen in the two cities for the last several years to raise awareness about traffic rules.

As a result, motorbikes, trucks and heavy vehicles are plying on fast lanes not only on intra-city roads but also on major highways and G.T. Road.

“We are registering more than 300 cars and other vehicles and about 1,000 motorbikes per day,” said a senior official of ETO told Dawn. He said the city roads were the same but vehicular traffic was swelling by each day.

More than 300 vehicles, 1,000 bikes register in Islamabad every day

“We have witnessed frequent traffic rules awareness campaigns in Islamabad in the past, but now the city managers seemed to be aloof to the matter despite the massive increase in the number of vehicles,” said a retired government employee, Saeed Ansari.

He claimed motorcyclists driving on the fast lane of the road usually started ‘quarrelling’ if someone asked them to move to a slower lane, and kept plying their motorcycles on the extreme right side.

Another citizen, Nasir Awan, claimed beggars at traffic signals often caused road accidents when they rush toward fast-moving cars. He said the presence of beggars at Committee Chowk underpass in Rawalpindi was one of the blatant examples of Pindi’s poor administration.

“These beggars cause constant traffic jams at this location but city managers pay no heed to the issue to ensure smooth flow of traffic at one of the busiest intersections,” he claimed.

It has also been observed that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in collaboration with the traffic police has not kicked any traffic campaigns for the past several years. On the other hand, a senior official of the National Highway and Motorway Police (NHMP) claimed that the police regularly launch traffic rules awareness campaigns on highways and motorways in which drivers were motivated to follow traffic rules.

Ride-sharing motorcycle riders

In Islamabad, one can see police personnel checking ride-sharing motorcycle riders at different placesbut they have “outnumbered” police teams. Although dealing with these bike riders is a new phenomenon for the police and the local administration, there is a need to regulate these unregistered bike riders catering to the lower-income segments and middle class amid hyperinflation.

It is suggested that, as the maximum speed limit in Islamabad is 80 km per hour, the city managers should put up signs on roads announcing the same. Similarly, the extreme left lane should be prescribed for motorcyclists and trucks, and there should be proper pointers in this regard.

When contacted, a senior official of the Capital Traffic Police said they had been carrying out traffic campaigns on regular basis under which 140,000 motorcycles were impounded in the recent past.

“The impounded motorbike is not given to its owner unless he completes five days training course in which he is imparted education and awareness about traffic rules,” he added.

The official said during Covid-19 the trend of home delivery increased and use of motorbikes had gone up manifold.

“In view of the increasing use of motorcycles we conducted seminars for Bykeas and riders of Food Panda to give them awareness of traffic rules. Even after these seminars we have started a campaign under which their bikes are impounded for a week which deprives them of Rs10, 000 to Rs15,000 they earned in a week’s time,” the official said.

One of the reasons behind the growing number of motorbikes in the twin cities was the easy availability of these vehicles on installments, he said, adding that, “one could get a motorbike by paying initial amount of just Rs5,000 to Rs10,000”.

About violation of lanes, the official said this was being strictly checked on the newly re-constructed Captain Karnal Sher Khan Avenue, previously called I.J. Principal Road.

“We are focusing on Islamabad Expressway but the road is under-construction from Gulberg Housing Scheme onwards, therefore if my policeman stopped the motorbikes there, it would cause further traffic jam,” he said.

The official said currently traffic police were taking action against those who did not wear helmets and plied their bikes on the wrong way. “For wrong way we lodge a case because it’s a criminal act as it puts the driver and others lives at risk,” he added.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2023