LAHORE - An in-depth study is under way to regulate vehicular traffic in Lahore on modern lines with the help of Turkish experts.

A senior official told The Nation on Friday that a four-member delegation of Turkish national police was currently visiting this sprawling metropolis to understand traffic and transport management. “Turkish experts will submit their recommendations to the (Punjab) chief minister for implementing modern reforms in Lahore as part of a pilot project,” the officer said.

According to insiders, the provincial government has hired the services of Turkish experts also to introduce road safety measures in a society where many drivers ignore traffic laws, including driving through red lights and stop-signs and turning left from far right lane. Use of cell phone during driving is also common.

For instance, use of cell phone while driving is strictly prohibited by the Turkish law. Driving while using a cell phone can lead to a fine of 72 Turkish Lira (TL) (approximately $40) fine. To obtain a Turkish licence, you will have to attend private driving lessons for 6 weeks before the final exam, which is administered in Turkish. On an average, it takes eight weeks to obtain a Turkish driver’s licence.

Sources say the government is likely to develop a “directorate of transport” in Lahore to oversee vehicular traffic by employing multiple resources. This project of modern traffic regulation will be extended to other big cities of the Punjab province in different phases, officials said.

As part of this initiative, traffic officers will be equipped with the latest equipment, vehicles, and communication system to control and monitor the vehicular movement on city roads from a high-tech nerve centre.

The City Traffic Police Department recently observed that at least 300,000 private vehicles would arrive and leave Lahore every day. The government is also planning strict monitoring of public transport drivers to control rising road accidents.

The four-member delegation met Capital City Police Officer Muhammad Amin Wains at his office on Friday and held deliberations on issues related to traffic control, management, and upgrade. Chief Traffic Officer SSP Rai Ijaz Ahmad and members of Turkish delegation Naim Karatepe, Bekir Celen, Abdurrahman Evmez and Muslum Apaydin were also present on this occasion.

CCPO Amin Wains said that services of traffic experts of Turkey were being hired to improve the traffic system in Lahore for the convenience of citizens. He said the city traffic police would not only provide best transport facilities to citizens but also take steps to modernise traffic in the town. The city police chief also expressed gratitude to the Turkish National Police for sending best officers to Pakistan for raising Dolphin Squads, Anti-Riot Unit and the Police Response Units on the pattern of Turkish police in recent years.

Wains expressed the hope that Lahore police, with the help of the Turkish delegation, would facilitate road users in an effective way and traffic wardens would be trained in a friendly environment. “The Orange Train project and road engineering in the city will be helpful for the police in controlling the massive traffic in Lahore,” he said.

Earlier, SSP Rai Ijaz Ahmad informed the police chief that all information about the administrative structure, issues and current scenario of the city traffic had been presented to the Turkish delegation to implement modern reforms.

“We are working closely with the Turkish delegation. They will help us improve traffic system of Lahore and this project will be launched in all Punjab districts in near future,” Rai Ijaz said.

The officers of Turkish National Police were of the view that they had collected all the basic data of the City Traffic Police Department.

The Turkish experts next week will visit various parts of the city to collect real-time information about engineering, regulation and other traffic control sectors.

“Final recommendations will be sent to Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif for approval within a couple of weeks,” according to an official of the City Traffic Police Department.

ASHRAF JAVED