LAHORE, July 3: Governor Khalid Maqbool ordered on Wednesday the installation of computerized central traffic control system in four major cities in the Punjab and a movie camera at every traffic signal to regulate traffic during busy hours and to trace violators.

The governor was presiding over a meeting held to review steps being taken to modernize traffic control system in the province. The cities where he ordered the installation of the computerized central traffic control system to synchronize signals are Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Multan.

The governor approved separation of the traffic police cadre from general police and said from now onwards the traffic constables would be recruited separately and could be posted anywhere in the province.

He ordered forthwith removal of encroachments on all the highways in the province and handing over of the defunct Punjab Road Transport Corporation’s Ferozepur Road depot to the privatization board for auction.

The governor was informed that out of 261 traffic signals in 13 cities in the province, at least 60 were out of order. In Lahore, some 30 out of 120 signals were out of order.

He directed the authorities concerned that all such signals should be repaired at the earliest. Traffic police and local governments concerned should immediately pay Rs9.5 million dues of the three foreign companies so as to facilitate repairs of the signals.

The governor also directed installation of computerized urban traffic control system in Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Multan instead of the yellow flashing light signals on experimental basis.

At least 15 busy squares in Lahore should be linked to one other through underground wires so that traffic could be monitored in the central control room on a large screen, he ordered.

The control room established by the Lahore district government had not yet been computerized.

The governor ordered to synchronize all signals from the Lahore airport to Azadi Chowk on experimental basis and to provide walkie-talkie sets to traffic sergeants in the province to facilitate dispatch of rapid deployment force in case of traffic blockades during rush hours.

Mr Maqbool approved the establishment of 59 petrol stations on provincial and national highways in the Punjab under a four-year master plan to prevent road accidents and to provide highway policing facility to the people.

Under the first phase of the plan, a sum of Rs110 million petrol stations would be constructed in 15 districts of the province, including Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Jhang, Gujranwala and Sialkot, during the next year. Mobile traffic police would also be detailed there.

The governor approved the installation of traffic sign boards at 1,385 places on 9,000km inter-district and 32,00km link roads of the district governments.

He directed to straighten all blind turns on highways and spend Rs5 million out of the Rs 50 million allocated for widening bridges in the province on the installation of traffic sign boards.

The governor directed to ensure implementation of labour laws on the working hours of drivers and cleaners engaged with the transport sector.

He asked the local governments to depute qualified doctors at bus stands to check whether drivers had consumed any intoxicant or drug before the departure of trucks and passenger buses.

He directed the traffic DIG to outsource the motor vehicle examination to private firms.

He constituted a standing committee under the provincial communication minister to ensure implementation of the policy planning of modernizing traffic control system.

Another standing committee was constituted under the chief secretary to devise a plan for improving the working conditions of drivers.