The Sindh High Court on Thursday directed the chief secretary to submit a report confirming if its directives had been complied with for traffic regulations, removal of encroachments from roads and placing restrictions on heavy vehicles’ movement in day timings in Karachi.
Hearing a petition against the plying of heavy vehicles on roads and in residential areas of the city during day timings, a division bench headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar directed the traffic DIG to ensure that no heavy vehicles plied in the city from 6am to 11pm.
The DIG submitted a compliance report and informed the court that the traffic police were taking all possible steps for implementing the court directives. He said that till December 5 as many as 10,106 heavy vehicles were fined for violating the time restrictions, 15,681 drivers arrested over violations of traffic laws and 313 cases registered.
He said heavy vehicles were still plying on MT Khan Road, Mai Kolachi Road, Shireen Jinnah Colony Road, Khyaban-e-Jami and industrial area roads of Korangi, Landhi and North Karachi; however, he could not place any administrative order in this regard.
He undertook that the traffic police would take immediate steps to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles in the city during day timings as per the directions of the Supreme Court and the high court. He said action to be taken against all delinquent officials of his department in case of non-compliance with court orders
Regarding the use of pressure horns, fancy number plates and bar lights by vehicles, the DIG submitted that traffic police would implement the court directions in letter and spirit and take action against violators without any fear or favour. The court observed that the traffic police should not come under the influence of any person, be they an MNA or an MPA and directed the DIG to submit a compliance report on the next date of the hearing.
It further observed that all executive and other departments are bound to act in aid to implement its orders, and directed all concerned to cooperate with the traffic police to ensure strict compliance with its order in relation with heavy vehicles’ movement restrictions in the city.
The petitioner’s counsel submitted that heavy vehicles’ movement could be restricted by placing barrier check posts at ports, and industrial areas where vehicles could only be allowed to move during night timings for loading and unloading. The court directed the DIG and the provincial law officer to seek instructions from the relevant authorities in this regard.
The court directed the chief secretary to submit a compliance report with regard to tis directions on the petitions and adjourned the hearing till December 22.
The court had on March 31, 2017 had ordered the chief secretary, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, cantonment boards and other land-owning agencies to remove all types of encroachments from all roads, sidewalks and footpaths of Karachi forthwith to ensure a smooth flow of traffic and pedestrians.
The court had directed the government and municipal authorities to immediately install barriers in all districts at all entry places to restrict unauthorized entry of heavy vehicles in the city, particularly in residential areas.
It had directed the chief secretary and the board of revenue to allocate and provide land on a most urgent basis at all four entry points outside Karachi and to establish proper check posts thereon with proper infrastructure and adequate police force, including bomb disposal squad, so that fitness roadworthiness and papers of heavy vehicles are thoroughly checked before entry into Karachi.
The court had directed the transport authorities to finalise the policy on a most urgent basis to regulate and control the number of passenger buses and coaches on a particular route within a specified time period and during peak or off-peak house and the criteria for issuance of route permits.
It directed the traffic authorities to ensure that strict action be taken against all vehicles having illegal and banned pressure horns by immediately removing and confiscating the same. The court had directed the government of Sindh to ensure that the process of issuing driving licences was computerized all over the province in a manner that no driving licence was issued without a proper and written and practical test as per the law and traffic violations and offences committed by a driver were entered in his record for future reference.
Petitioners Faisal Bengali and others submitted that they were permanent residents of Karachi and distressed in view of the prevailing situation of traffic, which was deteriorating day by day. Their counsel had submitted that the Supreme Court in August 2007 had directed the DIG to immediately stop the entry of heavy vehicles in the city during daytime and to regulate and allow the flow of traffic from 11pm till 6am. He submitted that directions of the court had not been complied with in letter and spirit, resulting in an unbearable and alarming increase in road accidents, congestion in traffic and nuisance on the roads of Karachi.