Dumpers restricted from entering Karachi 6am-11pm amid rising fatal accidents

• Heavy vehicles, drivers to undergo physical verification.
• All vehicles QR Code certificate from transport department.
• Chief secretary directs fourfold increase in traffic fines.

KARACHI: Rising fatal accidents involving dumpers and other heavy vehicles in the metropolis have prompted the Sindh government to restrict their entry into the port city — especially during rush hours.

As per the new directives, dumpers will only be allowed to enter Karachi from 11 PM to 6 AM, meaning there will be an essential daytime ban on them in the country's financial hub.

The new restrictions come against the backdrop of an alarming increase in fatalities caused by accidents involving heavy vehicles, including dumpers, in Karachi in recent weeks.

At least three people were killed in the city's Ibrahim Hyderi after being hit by a dumper on Saturday, whereas three others had lost their lives in a similar incident in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Mor a day before that.

According to police, as many as 96 people have died in various traffic accidents in Karachi in two months with 72 people losing their lives in the city whereas 24 were killed in the suburbs.

With eight people losing their lives in four incidents due to being hit by dumpers, the overall fatalities in these two months involve 71 men, 12 women and 13 children along with around 1,300 who were wounded in various accidents.

Reacting to the concerning figures, a meeting presided over by Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah, as reported by The News, has decided to mandate that all vehicles operating in Karachi must obtain a QR Code certificate from the transport department.

Also, all heavy vehicles operating in Karachi along with their drivers would undergo physical verification to ensure compliance with safety regulations.

With the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board instructed to shift its operations to nighttime within three months, the transport secretary has been tasked with inspecting all the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board’s water tankers within a month to ensure their safety and compliance with traffic laws.

Noting that reckless drivers should not only be fined but also face first information reports (FIRs) to ensure accountability, Shah instructed the Transport Department to expedite the implementation of the vehicle inspection and certification system (VICS) across the province.

It was revealed during the meeting that 65% of vehicles in Karachi were motorcycles, and 55% of all road accidents involved motorcyclists. In response, the chief secretary directed the traffic DIG to improve the traffic situation within a month and ensure the strict implementation of road safety regulations.

Issuing directions for a fourfold increase in traffic fines to deter violations and enhance road discipline, the official ordered that the number of traffic police personnel in the city be increased and an awareness campaign launched for motorcyclists.

Meanwhile, providing details of the Sindh Road Safety Committee's ongoing efforts to improve road safety, a spokesperson for the transport minister has said that 44 vehicles have been fined whereas seven were seized for violating various relevant laws.

Apart from the arrest of a driver, the total fines imposed on the violaters amounted to Rs334,360, added the spokesperson.