E-challan system yet to bring order on Karachi’s roads

“• Absence of traffic police, non-functional signals contribute to road chaos • DIG claims e-ticketing boosts rule compliance • Says number of cameras will be increased by 2,000 in next phase KARACHI: Although compliance with traffic laws remains inconsistent throughout the city, chaotic situations are seen even on roads where cameras are installed to detect violations and issue e-challans, due to dysfunctional signals, fading stop lines, zebra crossings and other issues. The traffic police had in October 2025 launched their faceless e-ticketing system on some of the major corridors in the metropolis. Officials claim that the total number of e-challans increased every month from January to March, before declining in April — 128,990 in January, 156,099 in February, 164,033 in March, and 144,437 in April. However, which road you are taking, whether the traffic signals are functioning, and whether traffic wardens are present, are some factors that determine traffic conditions in the city. It is up to individuals to decide which road to take and which rules to follow in areas where cameras are not installed. Travelling along various main arteries of District East, Central, and South — including Shahrah-i-Noor Jahan to Soldier Bazaar, and Sharea Faisal to Saddar — Dawn has observed that motorists and bikers tend to be more cautious on roads where cameras are installed or traffic signals are functioning. This is particularly evident on Sharea Faisal, I. I. Chundrigar Road, Boat Basin, and the PIDC signal. However, at various points where e-challan system has been implemented but traffic signals were non-functional, police officials were manually managing the flow of vehicles. The situation appeared more chaotic, especially at the Arts Council Chowk and its adjoining arteries, where both cameras and signals seemed to be out of order. A chaotic traffic situation was witnessed as vehicles from multiple directions converged at the intersection. Likewise, on the road leading from PIDC towards I.I. Chundrigar Road and Pakistan Chowk to Fresco Chowk, despite the installation of signals and cameras at some points, which were non-functional, traffic was being managed manually, leading to disorderly movement of vehicles. It was also observed that in the event of traffic congestion or road blockages, vehicles and motorcyclists were seen travelling on the wrong side of the road, and motorcyclists were seen without helmets, despite the presence of traffic wardens, who were controlling the traffic manually. However, it has also been observed that while many motorists on Sharea Faisal comply with seat belt regulations, on the other hand around 30 to 40 per cent of bikers still do not wear helmets, despite frequent e-challans on the road and the presence of traffic wardens, especially near Avari Tower. On other routes where cameras and signals are installed but presumed to be non-functional, and where traffic is managed manually by traffic police, most people follow the instructions of wardens. However, some motorists and bikers still take wrong turns, which leads to traffic congestion. Along the route from Shahrah-i-Noor Jahan (District Central) to Numaish (District East), where traffic signals are not functioning, wardens are actively managing traffic. In these areas, most commuters follow their directions, but most of bikers do no wear helmets. It has been observed that some bikers have also tampered with their number plates simply by using a piece of cloth to hide their registration number. The situation changes depending on time and route. If one travels at night from Empress Market through the OMI Hospital area, Soldier Bazaar Road and then onwards from Aga Khan Jamat Khana to Lasbela Chowk, where cameras have not been installed and traffic wardens are mostly absent and signals are often non-functional, commuters follow rules selectively, including when to cross or take turn onto different roads. However, it has also been observed that on some roads where traffic signals are installed, such as the route from Women College to the Sindh High Court, commuters generally wait for the signal to turn green even in the absence of traffic police, and do not violate rules. DIG Traffic satisfied with police performance As traffic police issued a total of 593,559 e-challans for host of violations over the last four months, DIG Traffic Pir Mohammed Shah said he was reasonably satisfied with the performance of the police regarding the enforcement of the law. Speaking to Dawn, the DIG said: “There has been a noticeable improvement in both detection and documentation, particularly with the integration of technology. That said, there is always room for greater consistency and refinement.” He said that the fluctuations in violation data were not “unusual”. “They typically reflect a combination of factors — targeted enforcement drives, operational priorities, seasonal traffic patterns, and increased public awareness at different times,” he said. In some cases, a rise in violations actually indicates more effective enforcement rather than a deterioration in discipline, he added. Regarding the perception of greater focus on seatbelt violations as compared to wrong-way driving, the DIG Traffic said he would clarify that enforcement was being carried out across all major categories. However, certain violations like seatbelt usage are easier to detect through automated systems, which may make them appear more prominent in the data. “Wrong-way driving remains a serious concern and is being addressed through dedicated field deployments and targeted actions,” said Mr Shah. As for CCTV coverage, he said it is being expanded beyond the earlier baseline in the second phase. The number of cameras will grow by more than 2,000. “The Safe City infrastructure and other surveillance initiatives have significantly enhanced our monitoring capacity, though we are continuing to work towards broader and more integrated coverage across the city,” observed the DIG. According to traffic police data, 5,975 tickets were issued over speeding in January, 4,607 in February, 5,555 in March and 5,471 in April. The traffic police issued 26 tickets over extra lights/decoration in vehicles in January, 491 in February, 198 in March and five in April. A total of 266 violations pertaining to ‘passenger on rooftop’ took place in January, 203 in February, 373 in March and 1095 in April. The traffic police fined 317 over improper load in January, 337 in February, 371 in March and 324 in April. Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2026

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