Motorway, Highway police illegally ‘selling’ towing cable to motorists

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Arshad Dogar
THE National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP), a force considered free of corruption, have adopted a unique way to grab money from commuters by selling ropes for towing off broken down vehicles on N-5 Central Zone.

The plastic ropes, having maximum value of Rs50, are being sold to the road users from Rs100 to Rs200. No receipts are given to the buyer(s) on the pretext that the help is being provided on a private basis.

Interestingly, the NH&MP patrolling officers and beat incharges have been selling these ropes, used in towing away vehicles, in connivance with private contractors at the Fine Collection Mobile Units of the National Highways Authority (NHA). These mobiles patrol along with a fleet of patrolling officers. Once a message is aired on the NH&MP Helpline 130 in case of any emergency or breakdown of a vehicle, the patrolling officer in a Toyota Corolla car and Fine Collection Mobile Unit reaches the spot.

In case of a breakdown, the patrolling officer asks the driver if he had tow-chain to take away his vehicle with any other vehicle. If the answer is ‘Yes’, the patrolling officer(s) stop a truck or and tow away the broken down vehicle. And if the answer is ‘No’, which is frequent, the patrolling officer suggests buying a towing rope.

A road user, who is in emergency along with his family, is charged more than Rs200 for a single plastic rope. And if one is moving alone or with male family members, the deal is negotiable up to Rs100.

The story of a road user, who was trapped in the same situation on N-5 Central Zone, 20km away from Sahiwal, would substantiate this story. One Mohsin told this correspondent that he was on his way to Lahore from Multan on Sunday last. He added that he was 20km away from City Sahiwal at around 2:30am when the CNG in his car ran out. He found a petrol station and got petrol but conversion from the CNG to petrol could not be done for ignition due to the dysfunction of pumping of petrol towards the carburettor.

A patrolling vehicle (IDP-2550) of Beat-16 and Fine Collection Mobile Unit were also around there, Mohsin said, adding that he requested the patrolling officer for help which was first denied as the officers said that he (victim) should go to a nearby city on his own and hire a mechanic to get his vehicle fixed. When the victim told the patrolling officer, Naeem, that his car could be started if it was towed off to a CNG filling station, the officer asked him if he had a tow-chain. Mohsin said that he had no tow-chain, over which the patrolling officer directed a man sitting in the Fine Collection Unit of the NH&MP to provide a rope for towing the vehicle. The victim was told that it would cost him Rs150. The man in trouble asked about its receipt but the official denied having any receipts, saying the ropes were owned by private contractors and the NH&MP had no concern with it.

When the victim said that if they had no receipt, he would not purchase it over which the patrolling officer replied that he should wait for morning to hire a mechanic to resolve the problem. The man in trouble approached some high official of the NH&MP for help after which beat incharge Inspector Ashraf also reached the spot. Ashraf also argued with the car owner that the ropes had been kept in the mobile units privately to facilitate the road users. He added that the sale of ropes was started on the directions of Sector Commander Usama.

After some discussion, the car was towed with a truck, which also left him on the way before it could have reached near a CNG Station. In the meantime, another Fine Collection Unit reached there, which towed the car up to a CNG station with a rope but the driver did not ask for the money. When the victim asked about the price of the tow rope, a person sitting in Fine Collection Mobile Unit said that they sold it at Rs100 and the receipt was provided if any body asks for it.

Beat incharge Ashraf, when contacted, told this correspondent that tow trucks were available only on motorway, adding that requests had been made for the availability of tow trucks on highways but to no avail.

When asked why this contract of selling tow-chains was not made public as it would have resulted in huge revenue for the department, the beat incharge said that the facility was being provided on the directions of sector commander. The officer could not give a satisfactory reply about the fixation of price and the campaign to make the people aware of this facility.

NH&MP patrolling officers and beat incharges had a responsibility of maintaining smooth flow of traffic on the National Highways and Motorways, besides providing help to the road users in case of emergencies, accidents and breakdowns.

Following link of official website of the NH&MP describes about the vehicles and equipment of force provided by the government to facilitate the road users. http://www.nhmp.gov.pk/vequipment.html.

It, under the title of ‘Vehicles & Equipment’ says, “Scientific and latest equipment are procured by spending huge government exchequer and utilised to curb the tendency of violation on National Highways & Motorway.”

Under serial No (x) of the list of some useful equipments, the website describes about the NH&MP Fleet as under: “In addition, NH&MP is using the latest fleet of vehicles which includes Land Cruisers, Toyota Corolla cars, Double Cabins, Mazda Tow Trucks, Hiace Vans and Suzuki 500 CC Motorcycles.”

Separately, road users have also complained that the patrolling officers at N-5 North Zone, have failed to maintain the smooth flow of traffic. On Monday last, traffic between Gujranwala and Lahore on the GT Road remained blocked for over two hours. The NH&MP did not bother to give any diversion or help to the road users, a passenger told this correspondent. He said that it had become a routine as the road was under construction and the work was being done during daytime.

When contacted, DIG N-5 Syed Ibne-Hussain directed his operator to say that the DIG was away and the correspondent should talk to the PRO.

Talking to this correspondent, Inspector General NH&MP Dr Wasim Kausar said the matter was not in his notice but if the practice was going on, he would take strict action. “It was absolutely illegal,” the IG Dr Wasim Kausar contended. He said that though the Fine Collection Unit came administratively under the jurisdiction of the National Highways Authority (NHA), he would look into the matter and take proper action. On a question, the IG said tow trucks were not available on N-5 and it was the responsibility of a driver to hire mechanic or tow his vehicle with any moving truck.

About the sale of ropes Wasim Kausar said: “I would not permit it at any cost as such ways lead to corruption,” adding that how he could allow the sale of such items on National Highways and Motorway if it was not included in the charter of duties. He said that if the sale of ropes or such items was allowed, there would be no difference between district police and motorway police.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=169249