By Minahil Makhdoom
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed said on Wednesday that introduction of modern technology would prove a milestone in ensuring better traffic surveillance on motorways and highways. Speaking as chief guest at the launch of drone patrol, body won and PSV management system here, he said that in Pakistan there was a tendency that the drivers speed up when they cross the camera point and reduce the speed when they reach the camera point but with introduction of drones, they would not be able to cheat the traffic police.
Murad Saeed said that Intelligent Transport System (ITS) has been introduced on the Multan-Sukkur Motorway and with the passage of time all nationalize road network would be linked with ITS.
He said that for bringing transparency e-bidding,e-billing and e-tendering process has been launched in the National Highway Authority. He said in the past commission was taken by the rulers in mega projects but introduction of technology as per vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan would help root out corruption.
He specially thanked Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain for providing modern equipment to the Motorway Police. He congratulated Inspector General Motorway Police Syed Kaleem Imam and his team on achievement of this landmark, which would prove a milestone in surveillance of traffic on motorways and highways.
Moreover, he said that NHMP has also introduced Hamsafar app to guide the road users before start of the journey. He said that the NHA has increased its revenge by Rs 50 billion from its Right of Way and new road infrastructure projects would be built from its own resources.
He said that in the tenure of the present government not a single road project has been started with the loan,all projects were being built with invested money.
He said that since PTI came to power not a single rupee toll revenue had been increased by the NHA. Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-2) which had been handed over to a concessionaire by the previous government,they increase the toll as per the agreement.
Murad Saeed said that when the present government talked about its achievements during the past two and a half years, the PML-N leaders say they had built motorways. However, he said that the PTI has executed 1654 kilometer road projects in half of its term whereas the previous regime had constructed only 624 km new roads. He said that the present government has launched 11 news projects since coming to power.
About the upcoming projects, he said that Chitral-Shandoor road,Lodhran-Multan-Bahawalpur section, Sialkot-Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway, Balkasar-Mianwali-Muzaffargarh road, Swat Motorway phase two, and Sukkur Hyderabad Motorway would be taken up this year.
He said that Chaman-Quetta-Karachi Highway was in dilapidated conduction and it would be converted into a modern expressway. Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and IG Motorway Police Syed Kaleem Imam also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, the drone patrolling, body worn cameras and PSV management system was launched and demonstration of drone patrolling was done.
