Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif reacts to AJK election results in a televised address on Tuesday. SCREENGRAB
LAHORE:
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered the designation of dedicated bike lanes on major roads in Lahore and directed authorities to ensure strict compliance with traffic rules by vehicles operating under the Suthra Punjab programme.
Presiding over a meeting on traffic management on Monday, the chief minister expressed concern over violations of traffic laws by vehicles linked to the sanitation programme and ordered that they be made to comply with the regulations without exception.
She expressed grief over the death of a minor girl after being run over by a Suthra Punjab vehicle.
The meeting reviewed measures to improve traffic flow, pedestrian safety and traffic management in Lahore. The chief minister ordered that zebra crossings be strictly enforced for pedestrians and agreed to introduce camera-based digital monitoring to ensure compliance.
A proposal to install alert buttons for pedestrians crossing roads was also reviewed.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered the launch of a pilot project on The Mall to enforce zebra crossing rules and said Ferozepur Road should also be developed as a model route.
She directed authorities to ensure that loaded tractor-trolleys did not ply the roads without proper covering. She especially ordered strict implementation of the requirement for Suthra Punjab tractor-trolleys.
She also ordered action across the province to prevent overloading of tractor-trolleys ahead of the sugarcane season.
The chief minister directed the authorities to take immediate measures to ease traffic congestion at Shahdara and Thokar Niaz Baig, stressing that traffic at Lahore’s entry and exit points should not face any obstruction.
She also ordered the installation of traffic signals at Pine Avenue and Jati Umra Chowk as part of traffic management measures. According to a statement, the chief minister expressed satisfaction over an improvement in Lahore’s traffic ranking in South Asia. City Chief Traffic Officer Abdul Rahim Shirazi said traffic congestion had declined by up to 70 per cent at several locations, including Jati Umra Chowk, Pine Avenue, Defence Mor, Karim Block, Akbar Flyover, Kahna and Main Boulevard.
The participants were informed that 4,096 traffic permits had been issued to teenagers aged between 16 and 18 years and 65,000 panic buttons had also been installed for women travellers across Lahore.
The CTO said the installation of QR panic buttons in public transport vehicles, rickshaws and online cabs was being accelerated across Lahore.
He said teams were installing the buttons from 45 locations across the city, while officials had also been deployed for the purpose in every traffic sector. He added that 12 teams had been assigned to install the buttons in rickshaws.
He added that the panic button had been made mandatory as part of efforts to improve passenger safety. Four additional licensing centres have also been established following demands from rickshaw unions.
The official said a decision had also been taken to take action against online cab services that failed to adopt the required safety and security features.
He said the installation of tracking systems in online cabs had improved the monitoring of both passengers and drivers. The panic buttons would enable passengers to seek immediate assistance in emergencies.
