Nikka has solution to all traffic problems in country!

Islamabad : With little peace at home, Nikka loves spending hours and sitting on one of many over-head pedestrian bridges constructed on the Islamabad Expressway. That is his best ‘time pass’ activity.

Sitting high above with all kind of vehicles speeding up and down on the expressway underneath, Nikka ponders upon as to why the concerned departments not pay attention to bring about a discipline in traffic movement on the roads.

He watches the traffic police officers and officials appearing some time for a while and then leaving. They hardly pay attention to the pattern of traffic flow and spend whatever time they spend here at the bus stops.

“We are never going to bring about discipline in our traffic on the roads,” Nikka grunted aloud. “We will never be able to overcome this chaos on our roads and highways,” he bemoaned.

“Nobody seems to care about traffic rules and laws. They are absolutely fearless because there is nothing to fear about! There is not enough traffic police to check these rowdy truckers, motorists and most of all the bikers,” Nikka contemplated while furiously puffing at the cheapest cigarette he could buy and blowing thick plumes of smoke in air.

These trucks have destroyed our road network because of over loading and slow moving, causing deep ruts and cracks, the bikers have created a chaos and endanger their own lives and limbs besides causing persistent tension to the motorists, the public transporters are free to stop wherever they may wish to pick or drop passengers, the pedestrians are crossing roads and highways despite the fact there are overhead pedestrian bridges are available for safe crossing.

“What a mess! And yet the concerned department, the Traffic Police all over the country seems least bothered. There is only one solution, which will bring discipline in the traffic flow all over the country. Raise the amount of fines and other punishments, like cancellation of driving licenses, payment of compensation/damages to the victims involved in any accident and even imprisonment to the guilty in case of fatal accidents,” Nikka contemplated.

“It’s so very simple! Just increase the fines for each and every road traffic offence to the extent where it should really pinch hard to the violator of law. At present the traffic offences fines range from as low as around Rs200 for not wearing safety helmet by the bikers to Rs10,000 maximum for the most serious offence, which is drunk driving, at the most.

These amounts of fines hardly make those committing offence even blink an eye,” thought Nikka.

Nikka believes that the government must enhance the amount of fine for all traffic offences to the level where those should serve as an effective preventive and not just a little inconvenience.

“The minimum fine for any traffic law/rule offence should start from Rs2,000 and should rise to Rs50,000 for the most serious offence. Only this step will bring discipline back on our roads and highways,” thinks Nikka.

Nikka believes that overloading and lane violation should be categorized as the most serious traffic offence because these two violations not only disrupt smooth flow of traffic but also are the main cause of serious accidents, mostly fatal.

The motorists and transporters in the developed world countries or even in the Middle East do not follow the law because they are law abiding people. They are afraid of the fines and penalties which are imposed on any kind of violations of traffic rules and laws in those countries.

“If the government may impose this kind of heavy fines and practically implement it, it would not take a month that there will be discipline on our roads and highways,” Nikka has challenged.