Lahore: Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi on Saturday ordered departmental action against 10 traffic inspectors, including withholding their annual promotions for one year, over unsatisfactory enforcement of traffic laws, particularly helmet compliance, while dismissing a traffic warden from service on charges of misconduct.
According to a City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL) spokesperson, the disciplinary action was taken after the CTO inspected various traffic sectors across the city to review enforcement performance and traffic management.
The spokesperson said sector in-charges of Anarkali, Mozang, Garhi Shahu and Niaz Baig were awarded departmental punishments for weak helmet enforcement, while sector in-charges of Sherakot and Manga Mandi were issued warnings and directed to improve their performance.
The CTO said violations of helmet rules, one-way traffic, lane discipline and underage driving would not be tolerated under any circumstances, adding that officers had been directed to ensure uniform enforcement across the city.
He said helmet compliance on Lahore’s model roads had reached 97. 11 per cent, while compliance stood at 98. 83 per cent on Davis Road, 98. 81 per cent at Faisal Chowk, 98. 63 per cent near Doctors Hospital, 97. 53 per cent at Canal View and 97. 23 per cent at Avari Hotel Chowk.
Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi said the increased use of helmets had reduced head trauma cases by up to 40 per cent. He noted that motorcyclists were involved in 73 per cent of fatal road accidents and stressed that strict enforcement was intended to protect human lives rather than generate revenue through fines.
He said that CTPL would continue taking strict action against negligence in enforcement while ensuring greater compliance with traffic laws to improve road safety across the provincial capital.