KARACHI, April 23: Reckless driving by public transport drivers and violation of ladies’ compartment rules in buses and minibuses remained on the rise during the first four months of this year, police statistics show.

According to the figures, 7,282 drivers, mostly of public transport, were booked for reckless driving. In January, 3,082, in February 2,154 and in March 5,068 drivers were booked for the violation.

The police arrested 2,459 drivers of public transport under section 279 (PPC) till April 21. The action against reckless driving by public transport drivers was softened after the city government held talks with the transporters as they had threatened to go on an indefinite strike.

The city government and the traffic police took action against reckless driving and arrested 1,159 drivers in March. The transporters demanded withdrawal of the action and the police arrested only 338 drivers in April.

730 drivers were booked in January and 232 in February. In 2001, no driver was arrested under section 279 of the PPC.

The police also booked the drivers of public transport under section 99 of the motor vehicle ordinance. The traffic police arrested 1,823 drivers under MVO from January till April 21.

The fitness certificates of 2,878 public transport vehicles were suspended during the first four months of the year. 1257 fitness certificates of public transport were suspended in February alone.

The police took action against drivers and conductors of 23,473 vehicles for violating the ladies’ compartment rules. In April 11,967 vehicles were booked for the violation. The police seized 1,643 pressure horns and 1,626 tape-recorders in public transport vehicles.

The traffic police issued 241,226 ticket during the four months, amounting to Rs33,789,900 of which 27,189,100 have been realized, the figures showed.