SIALKOT, Sept 26: At least 84 people were killed and more than 106 grievously injured in 138 road accidents on the main Sialkot-Daska-Gujranwala Road during eight months.

Violations of traffic rules too remained high in the district from Jan 1 to Aug 31, 2006.

The traffic police got registered 287 cases under section 279 of PPC against the drivers of transport vehicles for reckless driving. They cancelled more than 223 driving licenses and over 150 route permits for violations of traffic rules.

A fine to the tune of Rs9.74 million was realised and more than 5,3671 vehicles were impounded during the period under review.

Taking stock of the growing number of accidents on highways, the district government has ordered construction of all main and link roads in the minimum possible time. A sum of Rs1.5 billion has been earmarked for the district road network programme.

District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema said all important (main and link) roads in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils had been included in the programme which would usher in an era of socioeconomic development.

The district, he said, had also been focusing on early construction of farm-to-market roads to enable the farmers and growers to bring their agricultural yields to the markets easily.

He also said Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had been taking keen interest in the development of the district as he had approved several mega projects, including the Lahore-Sialkot motorway which would cost Rs20 billion.

The nazim said the construction work on the Sialkot district’s three main roads (Sialkot-Sambrial-Wazirabad Road at a cost of Rs880 million, Sialkot-Pasrur Road at a cost of Rs160 million and Pasrur-Shahzada Road at a cost of Rs70 million) was near completion. The 37-kilometre Sialkot-Sambrial-Wazirabad Road was being converted into a dual carriageway.

The chief minister had also released a special grant of Rs340 million for widening and conversion of the main Sialkot-Eimanabad Road into a dual carriageway and the Frontier Works Organisation had taken off the project.