LAHORE: From controlling the traffic during political rallies, protests and processions on the busiest roads of Lahore to the day to day traffic management of the city, I think traffic wardens are playing their imperative role in society. I am sure that most of us take the wardens and traffic police for granted while traveling on the roads, but have you ever considered the pressure and strain they take in managing the roads in scorching heat and chilly winters?
We need to comprehend the fact that traffic wardens are present to facilitate the public at large. In the past, we have got to know a lot of incidents where lawyers, influential and other persons thrashed wardens for issuing them challans over violating traffic rules in various parts of the city.
Here, I also think that how people, who kept messing with wardens, deal with the Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA). I am sure that many who were found fighting with the wardens must be regretting it after the implementation of the e-challan system as no one can escape from it.
I have personally experienced that the traffic wardens in Lahore speak very politely to those who violate rules. This facility is now lost after the installation of the cameras by the PSCA. Now, without judging the situation on road, e-challans reach the home of a car owner while previously the traffic wardens listened to the person caught violating traffic rules and sometimes let the matter slip by.
I have also seen traffic wardens and their assistants helping people with their vehicles during heavy rains, helping elders and disabled cross the roads amid heavy traffic and also guiding people about traffic rules and queries. No doubt the Punjab Traffic Police (PTP) is doing a great job.
I think that the traffic management on roads like Ferozepur Road, Jail Road, Mall Road, Lawrence Road, Johar Town, Cantonment and many other ones seem to be better because of them. I remember there was a time when the entire city seemed jammed during a procession on Mall Road, but now the traffic management has improved.
There was a time when hardly any warden was seen on the busy roads like Mall Road, Qartaba Chowk, Shadman, and Gulberg, etc. but now we see them standing at all the important points and play a role during the off time of schools and colleges. I think the reforms and policies of the new Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Captain (r) Liaqat Ali Malik have also added in the betterment of the department. He is a strict officer who was much needed in the city.
A few days ago, Malik sacked six traffic wardens and one traffic assistant on different charges, including corruption, misconduct and long absence. This shows that he is working on the improvement of the traffic police.
My point of writing this piece is to humbly request the masses to honour the working of traffic wardens and respect what they request for. These people are spending the entire day managing the mess on the roads of Lahore and a polite word of appreciation would make their day.
