Punjab CM orders up to ten times increase in fines to improve road safety
Crime
Parents of underage drivers will be held accountable
LAHORE (APP) - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered a significant increase, up to ten times, in traffic fines to enhance public safety and bring discipline to the roads.
Chairing a high-level meeting on traffic management and reforms, here on Tuesday, she expressed serious concern over the lack of improvement in the current traffic system and stressed the need for concrete, long-term measures.
The CM said that parents of underage drivers will be held accountable for allowing their children to drive, and criminal cases will be registered in such incidents.
She further directed that strict action be taken against motorists driving with broken or non-functional headlights, emphasizing that effective action taken before accidents occur is the true measure of success.
Highlighting the need for visible enforcement, CM Maryam Nawaz said vehicles with dangerous objects such as chains hanging from them will be stopped immediately, and one-wheeling and other forms of reckless driving will lead to criminal proceedings.
She approved a proposal to ban the parking of goods-loaded trolleys on the sides of major roads and ordered the imposition of heavy fines for using mobile phones while driving.
She also directed relevant authorities to remove traffic bottlenecks on Bedian Road and other key routes, and instructed that video and photographic evidence be attached to each challan to ensure transparency.
As part of broader reforms, CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif approved the restructuring of the traffic police into five specialized categories: Enforcement Officer, Traffic Regulator, Education Officer, Licensing Officer, and Public Service Officer.
She also sanctioned the provision of modern patrol vehicles and state-of-the-art equipment to improve enforcement capacity.
The CM announced that traffic challans will now be issued in-camera, and reviewed plans to remodel 372 key traffic points across Punjab, including 77 in Lahore, to improve road infrastructure. She also directed the installation of digital roadside screens for the early detection and management of traffic congestion.
Reaffirming her commitment to public safety, CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that only firm, technology-driven, and preventative measures can ensure a safer and more efficient traffic system in Punjab.
