Altaf Shakoor stresses use of modern technology to check fatal road accidents in Karachi

KARACHI, April 06 (SABAH): Expressing serious concerns over growing road accidents in Karachi, particularly fatal incidents involving heavy dumper trucks, Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor on Sunday asked to use modern technology including surveillance cameras, drone cameras and artificial intelligence to overcome this serious issue.

Altaf Shakoor said the traffic police in the megacity lack professionalism to properly regulate traffic. They are ill-trained and ill-equipped in terms of modern traffic control methods and gadgets. They should be provided remote surveillance tools like fixed and drone cameras assisted with computers and artificial intelligence to regulate and control traffic.  These drone cameras could easily detect traffic jams and road obstruction in real time due to encroachments and pushcart vendors. He said removing obstacles from busy roads should also be made a part of traffic police jobs instead of KMC.

He said a real-time drone camera survey of a road is an easy way to help remove traffic bottlenecks. He said surveillance cameras should be installed at all places in front of busy spots, bus stands, markets and public places to spot wrongly parked vehicles and encroachments and remove them immediately. He said traffic police in developed cities of the world use this method and our traffic police could also adopt it provided the government is serious about facilitating people.

Altaf Shakoor said everyone knows that the police extort Bhatta from  shopkeepers and vendors who occupy roads in front of markets and bazaars. He said the corrupt police would die rather than taking action against these people as they are the source of lucrative extra earning for these corrupt officials in both police and KMC. He said with the use of surveillance cameras and drone cameras these encroachments could be easily spotted and effectively removed.

He said the traffic police don’t take action against roadside enchantments on the plea that it is the job of KMC. He said as per rule and logic the traffic police should be empowered to remove any and all sorts of obstruction in the way of smooth traffic flow. He said laws should be amended in this regard to end dividing this job between KMC and traffic police to facilitate commuters and road users.

He said that traffic violations should be heavily fined. It should be ensured that no one could drive or ride any vehicle without a valid driving licence. He said more driving licence branches should be opened and issuance of driving licences should be made easy through special camps and mobile vans. He said the government should waive driving licence fee for the youth aged from 18 to 20 years, as this group is mostly involved in reckless riding of bikes.

Altaf Shakoor said every police officer knows the notorious traffic jam and encroachment spots in his or her area, but they lack courage to deploy their force to remove them. He said if needed special teams of regular police, KMC, rangers and traffic police officials should be formed for every union council to take action on a daily basis in both morning and evening shifts. These teams should be assisted with drone cameras, car lifting and encroachment removing machinery and manpower.

He appealed to the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, CM Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, IGP Sindh, DIG Traffic and City Mayor Murtaza Wahab to take notice of this serious issue and order remedial steps to save precious lives in the megacity that are being wasted in avoidable traffic mishaps.