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NED research project on transport launched
KARACHI, July 31: The NED University of Engineering and Technology in
collaboration with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the
University of Mississippi has initiated a three-year research project on
"Karachi metropolitan intelligent-based transportation system" for the proper
management of vehicular traffic in the city.
This was jointly announced
by the director of the Centre of Advanced Infrastructure Technology, Mississippi
University, Dr Waheeduddin, and Dr Shabbar Ali of the transport engineering
department, NED University, at a workshop titled "Metropolitan
intelligence-based transport system (MITS) stakeholder's workshop", here on
Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Waheeduddin said that the rapid
expansion of the city had badly affected the transport system that called for a
comprehensive policy coupled with proper implementation to control the
situation.
He said that under the project three-year intensive research
would be conducted by competent researchers in collaboration with all the
stakeholders, including the government, transporters, hospitals and civil
society. Based on the findings, a strategy would be devised to create mass
awareness, upgrade of roads and an environment and public friendly transport
system would be introduced that could be employed by the city government for its
long-term planning.
He expressed concern over the present transport
management and held traffic, law enforcement authorities, policymakers and road
users equally responsible for the worst traffic situation in the
metropolis.
Dr Sabina Jalal in her presentation on "Travellers
perspective" said that the chaos on the streets that had become a routine affair
especially during rush hours indicated lack of proper civic planning.
Dr
Jalal, who is associated with the Traffic Engineering Bureau of the NED
University, suggested that all sorts of vehicular traffic must be taken into
account while planning for long-term traffic management.
Earlier, the
director of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Dr Rasheed Juma, said that
road accidents in the city were alarmingly on the rise as on the average two
people were killed on a daily basis in different road accidents in the city. PPI
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