KARACHI, July 30: The NED University of Engineering and Technology in collaboration with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the University of Mississippi has initiated a three-year research project on “Karachi metropolitan intelligent-based transportation system” for the proper management of vehicular traffic in the city.

This was jointly announced by the director of the Centre of Advanced Infrastructure Technology, Mississippi University, Dr Waheeduddin, and Dr Shabbar Ali of the transport engineering department, NED University, at a workshop titled “Metropolitan intelligence-based transport system (MITS) stakeholder’s workshop”, here on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Waheeduddin said that the rapid expansion of the city had badly affected the transport system that called for a comprehensive policy coupled with proper implementation to control the situation.

He said that under the project three-year intensive research would be conducted by competent researchers in collaboration with all the stakeholders, including the government, transporters, hospitals and civil society. Based on the findings, a strategy would be devised to create mass awareness, upgrade of roads and an environment and public friendly transport system would be introduced that could be employed by the city government for its long-term planning.

He expressed concern over the present transport management and held traffic, law enforcement authorities, policymakers and road users equally responsible for the worst traffic situation in the metropolis.

Dr Sabina Jalal in her presentation on “Travellers perspective” said that the chaos on the streets that had become a routine affair especially during rush hours indicated lack of proper civic planning.

Dr Jalal, who is associated with the Traffic Engineering Bureau of the NED University, suggested that all sorts of vehicular traffic must be taken into account while planning for long-term traffic management.

Earlier, the director of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Dr Rasheed Juma, said that road accidents in the city were alarmingly on the rise as on the average two people were killed on a daily basis in different road accidents in the city.—PPI