193 died, 159 were hurt in 228 road accidents in Karachi last year

The Karachi traffic police managed to control fatal and non-fatal accidents better during the year 2022 when compared to the year 2021. However, a slight decrease was witnessed in the amount generated from challans issued in the previous year.

To upgrade the Karachi traffic police along modern lines, some major projects are under way, which include the automation of traffic light signals and the installation of cameras at major thoroughfares, such as Sharea Faisal, as part of the e-challan system.

Karachi traffic police chief DIG Ahmed Nawaz Cheema told The News that fatal and non-fatal accidents occur across the city due to violations committed by commuters. The DIG said he had directed his subordinates to challan the drivers involved in violating the traffic laws, especially reckless driving. Due to such initiatives, he added, the number of accidents in 2022 was lower than that of the preceding year’s.

He also said that the duty of the traffic police nowadays has became hectic because some major development projects are under way, especially on major thoroughfares, including the bus rapid transit service project on the main University Road.

However, he pointed out, the traffic police are still making 100 per cent efforts to resolve every gridlock in the city, especially during the peak hours. Moreover, he added, after the completion of these projects, the situation of traffic in the city will be much better, and the load of the vehicles plying the roads will also be decreased.

DIG Cheema said that the projects to upgrade the traffic police on which he is working include the automation of traffic light signals that will be controlled from the Command & Control Centre of the Sindh police and the Karachi traffic police. He said that it is expected that the project will be completed during the coming months, adding that after its completion, it will help the traffic police perform their responsibilities in a better way.

He also said that the other project in the pipeline is the installation of cameras, adding that they are working on the project and trying to complete it during the new year. He explained that in the coming months, as part of the first phase, cameras will be installed and activated in the red zones, on Sharea Faisal and in some areas of the DHA.

He pointed out that after the system is in place, the traffic police will send e-challans to the doorsteps of those found to be in violation of the traffic rules. The traffic police chief said that the computerised system has already been operating in other developing countries, while in Pakistan, it is being used in the Punjab province.

Explaining the system’s features, he said that every offender can check their traffic violation challan and verify the evidence sent to them along with it. They can also visit the traffic police office to check the video evidence available there, he added.

He also said that due to this system, no challaning officer will stop any violator because the challan will be directly delivered to the offender’s residence with the evidence of their violation.

The DIG said that e-challans are delivered without discrimination to ordinary citizens as well as government employees and officers found to be in violation of the traffic rules. He said that through this system they have observed that several vehicles have been plying the roads with fake registration numbers plates and double number plates, so the relevant people have been informed for taking necessary departmental action against them.

He pointed out that due to this system, every driver fears that they are being watched and monitored, so it also helps the other departments to update their data. DIG Cheema said that they are also planning and consulting with the excise & taxation department because the available data is outdated, since many vehicles are registered with incorrect residential addresses.

He also pointed out that many of the vehicles are plying the city’s thoroughfares on transfer or open letters, which will be stopped immediately, and it will be made mandatory that only after 100 per cent registration of the original owners, they will be allowed to ply their vehicles.

He said that they have also provided handheld units to the challaning officers deployed at different traffic kiosks, and they include SIMs with GPRS, while they are interlinked with the traffic police headquarters.

He added that through this system, every challan is directly reflected in the unit and it automatically updates the challan status of the Karachi traffic police. He also said that only an official with the rank of an ASI, a sub-inspector or an inspector can challan a traffic violator, adding that no one below the rank of an ASI can challan anyone.

Replying to a query, the DIG said that he has also planned a meeting with the Regional Transport Authority and other relevant departments regarding public service vehicles because many vehicles have been found unfit for roads but with fitness certificates, so this major issue will be addressed immediately.

He said they will also discuss the routes allotted to these public service vehicle, as well as the increasing, legality and routes allotment of motorcycle rickshaws. He added that there is also a presence of 64 per cent motorbikes plying the city’s roads in regard to other vehicles, so they will discuss with the government to initiate some motorcyclist safety policy.

He further said that a big reason behind the traffic mess is encroachments on major thoroughfares, adding that they have requested and proposed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to crack down on them.

He pointed out that around 56 per cent of the roads, including MA Jinnah Road, have been encroached by pushcarts, kiosks, shops and hotels. He stressed that they have planned to remove these encroachments.

Cheema said they have sent a proposal to the KMC for leading a crackdown against the encroachment mafia, for which a meeting is expected to be convened in the coming days. The traffic police chief said that during the year 2022, the city saw 171 fatal accidents, in which 193 people were killed, compared to 187 fatal accidents killing 221 people in 2021.

He said that in 2022, the city saw 57 non-fatal accidents, in which 159 people were injured, compared to 69 non-fatal accidents injuring 217 people in 2021. He also said that in 2022, Rs400 million was generated from 1.2 million paid tickets, while the total tickets issued for violations were 1.3 million. In comparison, he added, 3.9 million tickets were issued for violations in 2021, with 3.8 million tickets paid and Rs890 million generated.