CM constitutes body to end traffic mess in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Tuesday constituted a committee to ensure a smooth flow of vehicular traffic in the provincial capital.

He took the decision while chairing a meeting on traffic management in Peshawar, said a handout.

The meeting was attended by provincial cabinet members Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Kamran Bangash, relevant administrative secretaries, commissioner and deputy commissioner, Peshawar Development Authority Director- General Ammara Khan, capital city police officer, chief traffic police Peshawar, and other officials.

Headed by Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, the committee will devise a plan of action within 15 days to this end after consulting all the stakeholders.

Special Assistant to CM, Kamran Bangash, Peshawar commissioner, traffic police chief, and all stakeholders will be part of the committee.

The plan will consist of long-term and short-term measures which would help ensure the smooth flow of traffic in the city.

A number of factors causing traffic congestion in the city were identified in the meeting and various measures discussed threadbare to address those factors on a long-lasting basis.

It was pointed out in the meeting that besides other factors, plazas without proper parking facilities in commercial areas and bottlenecks on certain points on roads in the city were the main causes impeding a smooth flow of vehicular traffic.

The participants of the meeting decided to serve notices on those plazas without parking facilities and ask them to make proper arrangements for parking in basements or adjacent places within one month’s time .

The officials were directed to take indiscriminate action against those who were found not complying with the orders.

The officials were directed to devise a plan to remove bottlenecks on roads to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.

The chief minister directed the quarters concerned to launch an awareness campaign for one month about the use of helmets and seat belts with a special focus on measures to prevent the reckless use of motorbikes by minors and un-licensed riders. He ordered action as well against the traffic rules violators.

Mahmood Khan directed the relevant quarters to take steps to strengthen the traffic police and enhance its capacity to enable it effectively to deal with the emerging issues of traffic in the city.