The Punjab government has introduced reforms to modernise the province’s traffic system, amending the 60-year-old traffic act with 20 major changes aimed at making travel safer and more efficient for citizens.

The decisions were taken during a detailed briefing chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday, which reviewed the province’s traffic management, road safety and overall enforcement. Reports on helmet violations, rooftop travel, overspeeding and other breaches were also presented.

Under the new measures, any vehicle repeatedly fined for violations will face auction, while heavy penalties will now apply equally to government vehicles. A 30-day grace period has been granted to eliminate one-way violations across Punjab, and roads will be made safer through U-turn remodelling.

The meeting also approved the immediate payment of diyat to families of those killed in road accidents. Marriage halls will not be allowed to operate without proper parking facilities.

A decisive crackdown on underage driving has been ordered, with vehicle owners facing up to six months in jail if minors are found behind the wheel. Passengers will no longer be allowed on the roofs of buses, while five model roads in Lahore will see a complete ban on Qingqi rickshaws.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif warned that there would be “no concessions” for violators and said this was the final chance for the traffic police to improve performance. Failure to deliver, she cautioned, would require establishing a new department.

She said continuous traffic violations weaken the writ of the state, adding that Lahore and all other cities must see concrete improvements in traffic discipline.