Karachi: Deputy Inspector General (Traffic) Pir Muhammad Shah said that under the government’s Vision 2030, Karachi’s traffic system will eventually be managed entirely through automation, with no traffic police personnel deployed on major roads. He was speaking at a meeting with industrialists at the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI).
The DIG Traffic said the introduction of the e-challan system has already brought visible improvements in traffic discipline, with increased use of helmets and seat belts and greater compliance with traffic signals. He disclosed that in the past month, 58 per cent of e-challans were issued to luxury vehicles, while motorcycles, which make up nearly 60 per cent of the city’s traffic accounted for only 23 per cent of violations.
Rejecting the perception that fines in Sindh are higher than in Lahore, he said the motorcycle fine in Lahore is Rs. 2,000 while in Sindh it is Rs. 2,500. The standard fine in Sindh is Rs. 5,000, however a 50 per cent discount is allowed if paid within 14 days, a facility not available in Lahore.
Pir Muhammad Shah announced that from Monday a chatbot service would be launched to provide citizens with complete information regarding e-challans and other traffic-related matters. He added that a proposal has been submitted to the government for the establishment of a Karachi Traffic Management Company (KTMC), which would receive a share of challan revenue to fund improvements in road infrastructure.
He informed that 1,076 cameras have so far been installed across the city, with a long-term plan to increase the number to 12,000, while Karachi currently requires at least 400 traffic signals. He also revealed that separate lists are being compiled for vehicles without proper registration records, and a pool of around 2,000 blacklisted vehicles has already been prepared. Citizens concealing or removing number plates to avoid e-challans, he warned, are committing a punishable offence.
The DIG further stated that legislation requiring trackers in heavy vehicles has now been enforced, and automation is also being introduced in the transport system. While the Sindh Assembly is in session and fines may be revised, he maintained that heavy penalties, as practiced in developed countries, remain key to effective enforcement of traffic laws.
Speaking on the occasion, KATI President Muhammad Ikram Rajput said that the implementation of e-challans has significantly improved road discipline, with widespread compliance with helmet and seat belt use and reduced signal violations. He noted a visible decline in traffic accidents since the system’s introduction and said it has also created difficulties for criminal elements.
He stressed that the amount of e-challan fines remains very high and should be reduced. He also called for the rapid completion of the Safe City Project in Karachi and expressed concern that deputation of traffic personnel to other police duties could create a manpower shortage on roads.
Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya said the absence of a mass transit system has contributed to traffic chaos in the city and demanded across-the-board enforcement against tinted windows. He also highlighted the urgent need to curb violations by dumpers and heavy vehicles, adding that while the e-challan initiative is commendable, it is a new system with shortcomings that are expected to improve with time. He said the business community wants a stronger traffic management framework, removal of encroachments and an increased number of signals so that Karachi can operate as a properly organized metropolitan city and leave a positive impression on foreign visitors.