KARACHI:
Sindh government on Friday approved a ban on four-seater rickshaws and online as well as on the counter sale of tinted windows, police lights, and sirens.
The meeting chaired by Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar discussed amendments to the Motor Vehicles Rules also approved outsourcing the motor vehicle fitness check.
IGP Sindh, and secretaries of law, transport and mass transit, excise and taxation, along with the DIG traffic were present in the meeting.
They approved mandatory fitness certification for commercial and non-commercial vehicles, It was decided that a draft would be prepared and submitted to the government for approval and ratification of the amendments.
Participants approved a complete ban on four-seater rickshaws, and decided to make it mandatory for water tankers and dumpers to install trackers and sensors. Minister Lanjar stated that third party services will be engaged to issue fitness certificates to commercial and non-commercial vehicles, with formal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed with them.
Violation fines were also approved, including Rs200,000 fined for wrong-way driving of government vehicles, Rs25,000 for motorcyclists driving against traffic, and Rs100,000 for four-wheelers violating one-way rules.
Motorcyclists driving without a license are to be fined Rs25,000, while car drivers are to be fined Rs50,000 for the violation. Meanwhile, first-time offenders of one-wheeling or drifting are to be fined Rs100,000, increasing to Rs200,000 and Rs300,000 for repeat offenses.
Minister Lanjar also approved the installation of at least five cameras in heavy/load-carrying vehicles. Additionally, e-challans for traffic violations will be delivered to vehicle owners’ registered home addresses, and vehicles with unpaid fines will not be approved for sale or transfer.
The minister further stated that the traffic, transport, and excise systems will now be interlinked and operated online, while a dedicated Traffic Magistrate will be appointed to handle traffic law violation cases.
Excise Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawala assured the department’s full support in enforcing traffic regulations and emphasised that no registration or route permit will be issued to four-seater or larger rickshaws, and a crackdown will be launched against any such vehicles on the roads. He further stated that all organisational steps to establish the vehicle fitness service structure will be completed promptly, after which strict enforcement of fitness requirements will follow.
