Newly posted traffic DIG forms analysis team to curb road accidents

The newly posted chief of the Karachi Traffic Police, DIG Pir Muhammad Shah, has formed ‘Karachi Roads Accidents Analysis Team’ (KRAAT) to curb the menace of traffic accidents, and also ordered providing relief to the public by imposing low fines on them during the holy month of Ramazan.

Talking to The News on Friday, he said that while holding the charge as Karachi traffic DIG, a major issue was traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles.

DIG Shah said he had conducted some meetings with his subordinates, including those from the traffic accident department, reviewed the factors involved including road engineering faults and ordered compiling a list of roads where most of the accidents were reported and submitted it to his office at the earliest.

Moreover, he said, he had also made some changes in the traffic police like in range police there were the Operations Wing and Investigation Wing and now there was the Enforcement Wing that was involved in issuing fines and the Regulation Wing that would monitor the traffic flow.

He added that steps are being taken to bring the Karachi Traffic Police up to international standards. The Karachi Traffic Police is performing better than other traffic forces in the country despite limited resources, he said, adding that the traffic police force is a service delivery unit and the road users are its customers, whose satisfaction will be considered as the standard of performance and professionalism of the traffic police.

The traffic police force is currently working on an international automated e-challaning project, according to which traffic law violations can be recorded on camera and challans can be sent to a citizen's home and to their phone. Moreover, a body camera for the traffic officer was provided through which the challan operation of the traffic sargent will be recorded to ensure transparency and also to monitor the behaviour of the police officer.

DIG Shah said that as per the directions of Sindh IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon, the authority of issuing challans for violating traffic rules, which affects the flow of traffic, is being given to certain officers for which the process of selection of honest officers in the traffic police is underway. Our first priority for enforcing traffic laws should be public service vehicles and commercial vehicles that mostly affect the flow of traffic.

Moreover, traffic police officers and employees must wear helmets and seatbelts while driving a motorcycle and a car. Departmental action will be taken against police personnel violating traffic rules by challaning them. DIG Shah added that he had also ordered his subordinates to consult with the Traffic Engineering Department to mark zebra crossings as many of the city roads do have signs of zebra crossing. He has also decided to revive through a campaign for motorcycle riders to use the dedicated lane on Sharea Faisal.

Moreover, in the coming week he had also decided to hold a meeting with the stakeholders of Karachi and took input from them and formed a committee with good minds and send recommendations to government.

Traffic police chief Shah said the announced campaign against not wearing helmets, underage driving, driving without licence, tinted glasses, fancy number plates, police lights, green number plates and one-way violations will not be stopped and it will continue till the traffic laws are completely implemented.

He said he had planned a phase-wise campaign for full implementation of traffic laws and strict directions were issued to the senior superintendents of police to all the districts of the traffic police and the message was also conveyed to lower level, including the DSP and section officer of the kiosk.

He added that it was noticed that many motorbike riders either got injured or died on roads, and investigations showed that they were not wearing the helmet at the time of the accident due to which they suffered a head injury on slipped of their motorcycle and got injured.

The DIG shared that he has also planned strict implementation of the traffic laws campaign in the coming weeks, but it does not mean that they will stop their work of implementation of traffic laws. Moreover, he said he had directed the district SSPs to compile a comprehensive report upon chocking points which were causing gridlocks in the city. He sought a report at the earliest.

He added that officials will not allow any motorist on major thoroughfares to park their vehicle and will strictly implement the law of no-parking zone. Moreover, the district SSPs and their subordinates have been directed to deploy extra strength at chocking points to avoid any gridlock during rush hours.