Sharjeel orders Road Safety Committee to initiate crackdown on violators of traffic rules

Sindh Information and Transport Minister Sharjeel Inaam Memon on Saturday ordered the Road Safety Committee (RSC) to lead a crackdown on traffic rules violators.

Officials said that on the directives of Memon, the RSC has initiated a crackdown on traffic violations. As part of its operations against overloading, overspeeding and substandard commercial vehicles, the committee inspected 33 vehicles, issued challans to 20, and took four into custody. A total fine of Rs101,400 was imposed on the violators of road safety regulations.

The transport minister said the committee had been conducting surprise inspections across the province to curb traffic violations. He emphasised that traffic law violations posed a significant threat to human lives, and the Sindh government had been taking strict action against offenders.

He stated that overloading, overspeeding and unfit vehicles would not be tolerated on the roads. All commercial vehicles must comply with safety regulations, and violators would face strict legal action. Moreover, operations would continue to regulate traffic, prevent accidents and ensure strict enforcement of road safety laws.

The RSC was earlier formed by the Sindh government over the rising incidents of traffic accidents especially by heavy vehicles.

Officials said the Sindh government has provided the terms of reference (ToRs) to the committee that has also been empowered to check documents such as registration book, route permit, fitness certificate and driving licences of the commercial vehicles, including dumper trucks and water tankers, that have been plying roads of the province under the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 and Motor Vehicle Rules 1969.

A notification issued in this regard reads, “In view of the increasing trend of overloading and over speeding on the roads, the competent authority is pleased to constitute a committee known as the "Road Checking Committee under the provisions of Motor Vehicle Laws Regulations, 1965 and the Road Safety Act, 1985.”

The provincial transport secretary is the chairman of the committee. The other members include the secretary of the Regional Transport Authority Karachi and others.

The committee has been tasked with conducting snap route checking on identified roads to detect and penalise violators of the route permit and fitness certificate fee and those involved in traffic rules violations, including overloading and overspeeding etc.

“The Committee shall conduct surveys to regulate traffic and propose measures to minimize the number of accidents,” the notification reads. It also reads that the committee shall submit periodic reports to the transport department.