ISLAMABAD, May 20: Punjab government plans to scrap existing traffic laws and introduce severe penalties to discipline traffic rules violators.
A draft law containing enhanced punishments will be placed before the provincial assembly for final approval as soon as the amendments are vetted by the law department, said Deputy Inspector General Traffic Police Punjab Altaf Qamar here on Saturday.
Talking to mediapersons during an open dialogue on solution to traffic problems, the DIG said the maximum punishment under the amended law would be three months imprisonment with a fine ranging between Rs100 and Rs1,000.
Existing traffic laws, having inherent lacunas, are very soft on violators as Rs300 is the maximum fine. “Our traffic laws are completely outdated and should be amended to meet every day requirements,” he said.
The Punjab government, he said, had approved a city traffic police system project worth Rs3 billion, which would be implemented in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad and Gujrnawala before April 2007.
Under the project, 2,500 motorcycles, 70 cars, 100 jeeps/vans, 20 cranes, 30 fork-lift trucks, cameras, ambulances, mobile canteens, iron cutters and other modern equipment will purchased for traffic police.
The DIG said Punjab traffic police were working with limited resource and low salaries round the clock, however, under the new traffic system, they would get handsome salaries and work eight hours.
He said the Planning and Development Board of Punjab had been directed by the chief minister to carry out detailed studies of all five big cites and make a comprehensive traffic control strategy which would be effective for next 20 years.
Speaking on the occasion, Regional Transport Authority Secretary Tariq Mehmood said a project concept had been made for constructing three overhead bridges on Murree Road. Two of the bridges would be built at Marrir and Chandni chowks.
He said a project concept to replace the existing transport vehicle had been sent to the chief minister Punjab for approval. The plan is to replace pick-ups with wagons, wagons with coasters, and coaster with buses to provide petter services to commuters.
Mr Mehmood said recommendations to award new route permits in Rawalpindi were also included in the project.
Mediapersons said VVIP movements of president, prime minister and other top government officials were a big traffic hazard, which caused great inconvenience to the people. Parking on the busy roads or near shopping plazas also disturbs the smooth flow of traffic, and the builders should include parking area while constructing a new building.
They also called for launching a campaign to educate people on traffic rules.
Crime Reporters Association Secretary Saleh Mughal said the main cause of traffic congestion in the city was presence of schools on busy roads.
Tehsil Nazim Raja Hamid Nawaz and representatives of transporters and traders also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, Rawalpindi Traffic Police organised a walk to create awareness of traffic rules among the masses. The walk started from Romi Park and ended at Flashman Hotel. The participants were holding banners inscribed with appeals to make people pay heed to traffic rules.
Senior police officials, personnel of armed force, tehsil nazims, students of schools, colleges and universities, and transporters participated in the walk.
DIG Rawalpindi Syed Murwat Ali Shah, DIG Traffic Punjab Altaf Qamar, SP Traffic Rawalpindi Sabir Ahmed, and Rawal Town Nazim Shaikh Rashid Shafeeq spoke on the occasion.