LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry and City Traffic Police will work hand-in-hand to make traffic in the city hassle free besides facilitating the business community on licensing problems and other issues.
It was agreed at a meeting between Chief Traffic Officer Lahore Capt ® Syed Hammad Abid and LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Thursday. LCCI Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad, former President Mian Shafqat Ali, EC member Sheheryar Ali and former EC Member Khamis Saeed Butt also spoke on the occasion.
The Chief Traffic Officer said that City traffic police is putting in its best efforts to keep the vehicular traffic on the move. He said that coordination with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry would be made stronger to find out viable solution to the issues being faced by the masses.
On demand of the LCCI President, CTO agreed to establish especial desks at all licensing centers for the LCCI members.
“Traffic engineering and parking plazas are need of the hour”, the CTO said and added that Traffic Police Department has conducted a survey for the construction of parking plazas. He said that futuristic approach is a must to take long-term measures.
He said that legislation on e-challan regime is well on the way. He said that penalty and points system would be introduced soon to discourage traffic violation. He informed the LCCI President that Traffic Police team has visited 1190 different schools and gave awareness to over 0.3 million viewers about traffic rules and regulations.
The CTO said that schools, colleges and universities would be requested to depute volunteers for traffic police. He said that these volunteers would be patronized by the Traffic Police Department.
The CTO welcomed the ideas of LCCI President to make some particular roads one-way and e-ticketing system and driving school.
The LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said that smooth flow of traffic not only cuts cost of doing business but ensures on-time delivery of goods at their destination. He said that the liaison between police and the business community is a must.
He said that the LCCI is the only Chamber in Pakistan that has introduced one window operation for its members and has Facilitation Centers of Traffic Police, NADRA, Excise & Taxation, SMEDA, FBR, LESCO, IPO, PESSI, Export Promotion are providing matchless services to the LCCI members while more facilitation desks would be established soon.
The LCCI President said that parking plazas near the city markets are the only solution to the traffic mess. He said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry has identified 16 places for the construction of parking plazas. These parking plazas can be built under public-private partnership.
He said that traffic related issues and accidents can be reduced by making some particular roads one-way. The Lahore Chamber would forward proposals to the Traffic Police Department soon.
Irfan Iqbal Sheikh informed the CTO that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry is also well aware of its Corporate Social Responsibilities. The LCCI is patronizing LABARD and Shalamar Hospital while free blood-screening camp for the citizens would be conducted soon.