KARACHI, Oct 15: The driver-training programme of the city government still remains in cold storage due to the non-handing over of the defunct KTC's driver training building, in SITE, by the Sindh government to the city government.

This and a number of other plans, aimed at reducing pedestrian risk in traffic accidents, have never been implemented and have become subject to official apathy.

According to data compiled by the transport and traffic department, city government, more than 12,000 persons have lost their lives in over 21,932 reported traffic accidents in the city since 1987. Half of these accidents have been fatal.

An official in the TCD said the city government had now planned to impart training in one of its buildings despite the fact that there was no obligation on it to carry out the programme.

"Under the law, the driving license issuing authority is required to educate drivers about traffic rules and regulations, while in its backdrop, the traffic police has responsibility in this regard," said the official

However, the city government, in the larger interest of citizens, wants to start the programme in order to minimise the number of traffic accidents, he added. The traffic department's data said that half of the accidents during this period - 1987 to 2004 - involved pedestrians due to reckless driving of vehicles, having no regard for traffic rules and regulations.

However, despite the alarming situation, city authorities have been unable to take any corrective measures. After the inception of the city government in 2001 under the new devolution plan, the traffic engineering bureau of the defunct KDA was named as TCD.

It was assigned with various tasks for improving the traffic culture in the city including various plans for minimising the number of pedestrians involved in accidents. These included road safety campaigns, construction of pedestrian bridges, drivers training programmes, construction of bus shelters etc. - PPI