BAHAWALPUR:Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Irfan Ali Kathia has said that effective measures are being taken to ensure safe travel facilities, improve traffic management and prevent road accidents across the division.
He was chairing a meeting to review measures aimed at controlling traffic accidents, maintaining smooth traffic flow and making highways safer. Regional Police Officer Bahawalpur Ghazi Muhammad Salahuddin, Deputy Commissioner Bahawalpur Syed Hassan Raza, District Police Officer Rana Abdul Wahab and officers of relevant departments attended the meeting. Deputy Commissioner Bahawalnagar Syed Muhammad Abbas Shah and Deputy Commissioner Rahim Yar Khan Zaheer Anwar Jappa participated through video link.
Commissioner Irfan Ali Kathia directed the relevant departments to ensure proper installation of traffic signs, information boards and road markings on major highways and connecting roads. He ordered the repainting of old and unclear traffic signs to ensure timely guidance for drivers and improve road safety. He also directed the authorities to remove unnecessary U-turns, construct speed breakers where required on connecting roads adjoining major highways, and remove unauthorized speed breakers. The commissioner called for effective measures to prevent overloading of sugarcane trolleys and directed sugar mill administrations to ensure that long queues of trolleys did not form along major highways, disrupting traffic flow. He also ordered effective checking to curb overspeeding by buses and continued legal action against unregistered motorcycle rickshaws.
Regional Police Officer Ghazi Muhammad Salahuddin emphasized strict action against one-wheeling, overspeeding and driving without a valid licence. He also called for ensuring helmet use among motorcyclists. Highlighting the risks posed by fog and smog during the upcoming season, the RPO stressed the installation of reflectors on vehicles, particularly sugarcane trolleys, so that other motorists could identify them in time under conditions of reduced visibility, helping prevent accidents.
The meeting was informed that relevant departments would work under a coordinated strategy to ensure enforcement of traffic laws. It was also emphasized that field monitoring should be strengthened and the implementation of road safety measures regularly reviewed to achieve effective results. Additional Commissioner Coordination Naeem Sadiq Chima, Assistant Commissioner General Khizar Razzaq Manj, Director Development Malik Mahboob Elahi Khar, District Emergency Officer Baqir Hussain, Secretary Regional Transport Authority Sanaullah Riaz, the District Traffic Officer and other relevant officials also attended the meeting.