Traffic
Traffic system is based on three “E” i.e. Engineering, Education & Enforcement. Better engineering ensures better traffic management, minimum public inconvenience & reduction in accidents. Quality education makes road users well aware of traffic rules, their responsibilities & turns them into law abiding citizens. Strict enforcement acts as a deterrent against traffic laws violations by catching & inflicting fines on the violators. FIRs are also registered against the offenders when violations turns into crime. If we talk about Islamabad Capital Territory, CDA (Capital Development Authority) is mandated with road engineering while ITP (Islamabad Traffic Police) is responsible for education & enforcement. Both departments require special attention to keep them in pace with the time. When ITP was established in 2006, sufficient resources were provided to make it a success story. But after passing 18 years, the resources remain the same while population of the capital has increased to 193.56 %, quantum of registered vehicle increased to 775.68 % & volume of daily average traffic entry into ICT increased to 107.49 %. Following are the key functions of ITP which demand adequate resources to meet the present day requirements:
1. Being Federal Capital, Islamabad experiences extraordinary movements on daily basis. ITP manages such movements while keeping rest of the traffic flow normal. ITP officers are deployed on routes & venues for VVIP/VIP movements/events.
2. ITP is responsible for provision of permanent traffic pilots with the dignitaries as well as with foreign & provincial delegations
3. ITP manages permanent parkings within Red Zone 24/7 besides managing parking spaces of different markets & public places.
4. Many rallies, walks & sit-ins are held daily in the Capital. ITP places diversions during law & order situations while providing alternative routes for general road users. ITP makes special arrangements during national & cultural events as well.
5. ITP also regulates traffic on different roads specifically during rush hours. ITP’s Congestion Management Unit reaches on the site to ease out the congestion.
6. ITP Education wing carries out different activities to educate public about traffic rules. ITP Education Wing visits different educational & professional institutions to impart traffic education among public. It makes public aware about different traffic signs, their rights & duties etc with practical demos, informative videos & quiz competition. “ITP Education on Wheels” is mobile facility to educate people in different markets, parks & public places.
7. ITP FM 92.4 & PR Branch of ITP spreads information about traffic rules besides posting daily updates.
8. Road safety classes are conducted at ITP office. Anyone can attend these classes. But these classes are specifically recommended by Traffic Sergeants to repeated violators or for the violators involved in grave violations besides impounding their vehicles. Such violators submit affidavit of “good conduct” on completion of recommended number of classes & before release of their vehicles.
9. ITP officers enforce traffic laws within their AOR. Routine & special enforcement campaigns are conducted to curb traffic violations within the Capital. “ITP Highway Patrol” & “ITP Night Patrol” have been introduced for better enforcement on major traffic arteries. Number of divisions increased from 04 to 05 for better supervision by supervisory officers. Moreover, a DSP rank officer is now supervising night shift for effective deployment.
10. ITP is responsible for driving license processes within ICT. At present ITP is providing different licensing facilities at different points including ITP Hqrs, Facilitation Centers etc. Recently number of testing centres has also been increased from 01 to 06. Moreover “ITP Facilitation on wheels” provide licensing facilities at doorstep of educational institutions, professional departments & commercial areas.
11. ITP also extend help to distressed road users by providing assistance in different ways. “ITP Mechanic on Wheels” is an initiative to respond to the calls of road users for help when their vehicles are broken down.
12. ITP also assists Safe City for E-challan issuance & enforcement.
The above points depict that ITP is performing multiple duties within available resources in a professional way. The present strength of 685 officers and 207 vehicles/motorcycles sanctioned in the year 2006 is not enough to cater to the requirements of present day. Provision of additional strength and resources is the need of the hour when population, registered vehicles, floating traffic volume & AOR have increased manifold. The cases for sanction of 2616 new posts and provision of 499 vehicles/motorcycles for the ITP was initiated in 2021, however, the same is yet to be materialized. Furthermore, better engineering and technological innovations can also help to keep traffic of the Capital in order.
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