Efforts on to reduce traffic snarls in Jalalabad

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Unnecessary taxi stands, handcarts on roads, increasing number of vehicles and limited traffic department staff members are reasons behind unruly traffic in the capital of eastern Nangarhar province.

Sayed Hamidullah Sadat, the provincial traffic department head, told Pajhwok Afghan News in an exclusive interview that the increasing number of automobiles in Jalalabad city caused road jams, a problem he said his department was working to resolve.

“I placed barriers at squares to better manage traffic, but handcarts on roads is now another problem,” he said.

To a question, Sadat said unnecessary car stands, handcarts on roads, large number of cars and a shortage of traffic department staff contributed to traffic snarls in Jalalabad city.

The presence of around 9,000 rickshaws on Jalalabad roads was another major factor creating traffic problems in the city, he added.

In addition to creating traffic problems, rickshaws are also harmful for air, he said, adding they tried to somehow control or limit the number of rickshaws in the city.

Sadat also complained about a shortage of staff at his department and said the issue needed to be decisively resolved.

If all relevant organs and residents of the city cooperated with the traffic department, it would help reduce traffic problems in Jalalabad, he said.

About corruption, he said he would be responsible if any evidence was made available about corruption in his office.

mds/ma

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