KUWAIT CITY, June 8: The Ministry of Interior has started the implementation of a comprehensive plan to ease traffic jams and lessen road accidents, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting sources.

Sources revealed the plan includes 15 projects aimed at ensuring smooth flow of traffic in the country through the installation of cameras to closely monitor the traffic movement. They confirmed the ministry has floated a tender to convert the traffic light control system from ‘of line’ to ‘on line’ at an estimated cost of KD 2.977 million.

Sources said another project is the installation of 50 digital cameras to monitor the motorists who use the emergency lanes, in addition to 150 booths for the spare parts required to maintain and operate these cameras; and 100 ‘fake’ cameras not connected to the Operation Center. Sources confirmed the cameras will be operational round the clock.

Sources added other projects in the pipeline include the establishment of a control room in 10 areas, 80 cameras for traffic red light monitoring, 40 cameras for monitoring speed, 100 locations for traffic surveillance cameras, 100 motorbikes, 100 traffic patrols, 200 heads of decorative traffic lights and 50 modern traffic light organizers.

In another development, a security source revealed the number of emergency calls that the Operations Room received in 2011 totaled 3,126,000; 2.5 million of which are hoax. He said the Public Security Sector dealt with 7,280 emergency cases; 137,000 for the General Traffic Department (GTD); 66,000 for the General Rescue Department; 2,000 for the Criminal Investigation Department; 663 for the General Coast Guard Department; while the number of nuisance calls reached 90,000. He added the concerned authorities carried out 1,348 operations; during which they searched for explosives and banned items.