Karachi traffic police strength ‘next to nothing’: DIG Traffic

KARACHI: Deputy inspector-general Traffic Karachi Asif Aijaz Sheikh has said that among other things, increasing salaries of the traffic police personnel will help improve the traffic situation in the city.

DIG Aijaz while talking to Geo News said that previously there was no coordination between various departments before the initiation of any road construction projects. Now the relevant government authorities contact the traffic police department, which suggests and guides the authorities alternate routes and sometimes hold on-the spot meetings with them, he said.

Questioned over the number of personnel currently employed by the traffic police department, DIG Aijaz explained that there are 4,200 personnel in the department with 3,500 personnel in the field. There are two shifts, which means that 1,700 personnel are deployed in the city in one shift.

“I have to man a 10,000KM road with a population of 24 million population [with such a small number of personnel],” he said.

Heavy traffic, which includes 10-wheelers and above, has gone up to 100,000, he added.

About the Sindh High Court’s order against permitting heavy traffic in the city’s residential areas, he said that implementation on the order is being carried out, with “60 per cent success achieved in one month”.

“First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered and drivers have been sent to jail but admittedly violations are still being done,” Sheikh said.

He added that he has written to the government to increase the amount of fines on violation of traffic rules, and things are in process.

Lamenting that the size of the traffic police force is “next to nothing”, he said that traffic situation in the city can be improved using various measures. He suggested better road networks, clean-up of sewerage water, removal of encroachments and increasing the salaries and facilities provided to the traffic police personnel to rid the city of everyday traffic jams.