‘18,000 bikers fined over Rs2 million in three days’

Over a period of three days, the city’s traffic police impounded over 3,000 motorbikes and issued over 18,000 challans worth an accumulative total exceeding Rs2 million for violations of the law regarding use of safety helmets by motorcyclists.

These statistics were shared by the new chief of Karachi’s traffic police, DIG Imran Yaqoob Minhas, in a talk with The News on Sunday on the progress of a campaign launched earlier in the week.  

The DIG said all senior and junior officers of the force were making due efforts to make the campaign a success and vowed that the plans would not be abandoned halfway as has been the case on previous occasions.

“There is no chance of these efforts being abandoned midway. All phases of our traffic management campaign will be implemented in totality,” he stated.

“The results have been visible. In just a matter of days, every fourth motorcyclist can be seen with a helmet on. As per the data we’ve collected, a total of 3,101 motorcycles were impounded and 18,035 bikers were fined Rs2.7 million over a period of three days. We intend to keep up the intensity of these implementation efforts and our dedication will produce the desired results.”

The officer added that citizens would be afforded a little room till after the first ten days of Muharram to get their documents and vehicles in order. “That does not mean a clean chit for a whole month. Our campaign will continue over this period too but, after Ashura, there will be no special consideration for any traffic law violator,” explained DIG Minhas.  

Choking points

All district SSPs have been ordered to compile a comprehensive report identifying points where traffic gridlocks occur regularly, DIG Minhas said.

“The officials have been ordered to submit the report at the earliest so that we can approach the relevant departments to discuss what actions could be taken for improvements,” he said. He said officials had been told to strictly not allow any motorist to park their vehicles along major thoroughfares.

“The law regarding parking zones will be strictly implemented. Also, violations of the ‘one way’ rule which, unfortunately, have become a regular feature will not be tolerated anymore,” he vowed. The district SSPs and their subordinates had been directed to deploy extra strength on chocking points to avoid any gridlock during rush hours, he added.

On the traffic chief’s directions, the SP Traffic West has directed his subordinates for deployment of extra force at the QTS and Mauripur Traffic Sections.The letter said that in order to provide safe and uninterrupted passages to the motorists on holidays, additional staff of should be deployed at PAF Base intersection, Rauf intersection, Bashir Sadidiq intersection, Floor Mill intersection, Grex Bazaar and Mauripur Bazaar.  

Meters and licenses

A crackdown against the public transport vehicles running without installation of meters and drivers without licenses will also be kicked off next week, the traffic police chief told The News. During the drive, the traffic officials would make sure that drivers were in possession of a valid license.

“Drivers running both public and commercial vehicles without a license or having an expired one will be immediately fined and an action will be taken against them under the Motor Vehicle Ordinance,” he said, adding that driving without having a valid license was dangerous for human life and property.

It was necessary for the public transport drivers, including rickshaw drivers, to install a meter inside their vehicle, DIG Minhas said, adding that the traffic officials would also take action against the violators.

He also urged the passengers to ensure that public transport drivers charged them as per the meter rate instead of indulging in the illegal practice of bargaining. In an interview with The News last week, DIG Minhas said that considering complaints against the city's traffic police and irregular implementation of traffic laws in the metropolis, he had decided to lead a crackdown against black sheep in the department and violators of traffic laws.

Talking to The News, DIG Minhas said he had planned a phase-wise campaign for the purpose. As part of the first phase, he has ordered compilation of a list of corrupt officers and would be initiating strict action against them.

“While the general lack of road sense among the public adds to our woes, the irony is that the people who do possess some road sense also tend to violate traffic rules,” he regretted. In the first phase, the department would stop one-way violations and illegal parking on main thoroughfares along with removal of roadside vendors. “The campaign includes measures for strict implementation of rules regarding safety helmets for motorcyclists and also routine checks of CNG cylinders installed in school vans and other public transport. Moreover, banners and ads with public awareness messages will also be put up across the city,” he said.

He said all stakeholders be consulted and included in the campaign while awareness should also be raised among citizens and at college and university level about the road safety measures like wearing helmets during driving a bike, not jumping traffic signals, avoiding over speeding and overtaking, and use of mobile phones while driving.

DIG Minhas said the drive was aimed at reforming traffic system, implementation of traffic rules and preventing road accidents. “Awareness will also be created regarding lane discipline and dangers of over speeding and overloading.”

The city traffic police chief said a campaign would also be launched against school van drivers using CNG cylinders in their vehicles and not following the standing operation procedure.

He said the campaign would be started in the coming week for which he had planned to form teams under the supervision of Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) of Traffic Districts in all the city’s districts. To a query, the DIG traffic school van drivers were again disrespecting the traffic laws and therefore he had decided to launch a new campaign against them.

School administrations had been notified to submit the record of van drivers and their helpers along with their attested documents, he said. “They have to submit the information to the DIG Traffic Office and its registration process shall be started.”