Punjab introduces major traffic reforms after 60 years
LAHORE: Punjab has approved sweeping traffic reforms for the first time in six decades, introducing stricter penalties, new road safety measures and significant structural changes aimed at reducing violations and improving traffic flow across the province. The decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in Lahore on Friday, where 20 amendments to the long-standing Traffic Act were given final approval.
The new measures include the auction of vehicles belonging to repeat traffic offenders, marking one of the toughest enforcement steps taken by the provincial government in years. Officials said government vehicles would also not be exempt from heavy penalties if found violating traffic laws, as the administration seeks to enforce uniform accountability.
A 30-day grace period has been announced to discourage wrong-way driving, a persistent cause of accidents in major cities. U-turns across Punjab will be redesigned to minimize congestion and ensure smoother mobility, while the government has also agreed to expedite compensation (diyat) payments to families of victims who lose their lives in road accidents.
The reforms also target urban planning weaknesses, with the province deciding that marriage halls without designated parking facilities will no longer receive construction approval. Authorities have issued orders for an immediate crackdown on underage driving, and vehicle owners could face imprisonment of up to six months if minors are caught behind the wheel of their cars.
Travel on the roofs of passenger buses has been banned with immediate effect, a move officials say was necessary to prevent fatal incidents during peak travel seasons. In Lahore, Qingqi rickshaws have been completely banned from five model roads as part of efforts to streamline traffic on key corridors.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz gave authorities a 30-day deadline to improve traffic conditions in the provincial capital, warning that failure to deliver results would lead to the creation of an entirely new traffic enforcement department. “I am giving the traffic police one last chance. If they fail, we will have to form a new department,” she said, adding that traffic violations and disorder reflect a weakening of state authority.
The reforms mark one of the most extensive overhauls of Punjab’s traffic management system in modern history, with officials expressing hope that the new framework will reduce accidents, ease congestion and instill discipline on the roads.
