Karachi Traffic Police have decided to ban all types of rickshaws from city roads, allowing only meter fitted rickshaws to operate under a new policy, DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah announced on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, Shah said the e ticketing system, introduced under the Safe City project, has improved traffic flow across Karachi alongside newly implemented lane marking measures. He said traffic police are working to remove Qingqi rickshaws from major roads as part of the broader plan to phase out unregulated rickshaws.
The DIG said nearly 45,000 vehicles in Karachi are currently being driven by people other than their registered owners. He added that any vehicle found with fake number plates is seized and handed over to the relevant police station.
Addressing public complaints about the e challan system, Shah acknowledged that citizens concerns are genuine. He said e challans are generated automatically and errors can occur, adding that traffic police are preparing a policy to provide relief to affected motorists.
He noted that the total number of e challans issued so far remains lower than the number of manual tickets issued last year. The department is also issuing e tickets to motorcyclists riding in the fourth lane in violation of traffic rules.
Shah said free training has been arranged for women who received electric scooters under a government programme.
On road safety, Shah said 164 people lost their lives in major traffic accidents in Karachi last year, and fatalities have since declined by 45 percent. He also announced plans to establish a Karachi Traffic Management Company to further strengthen traffic management in the city.
