KARACHI: Indus Motor Company (IMC) and the NED University of Engineering and Technology have signed an agreement to establish an Urban Mobility Implementation Unit (UMIU) at the university, backed by Rs20.7 million in IMC funding over three years, according to a statement on Wednesday.
The unit, supported by Toyota’s Road Improvement Program (TRIP), will operate through the university’s Centre of Environment and Social Sustainability and its Department of Urban and Infrastructure Engineering. It will focus on identifying and treating high-risk accident locations, improving traffic flow, enhancing safety for vulnerable road users, and developing an artificial intelligence-based Accident and Incident Management System.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, IMC Chief Executive Officer Ali Asghar Jamali said road safety remained one of Karachi’s most pressing urban challenges. He described the UMIU as the next phase of a decade-long collaboration with academia and law enforcement, aimed at moving from research to the implementation of data-driven solutions.
Syed Pir Muhammad Shah, DIG Traffic, Sindh Police, emphasised the need for evidence-based interventions and partnerships among enforcement agencies, academia and the private sector to improve traffic management and reduce road injuries.
Prof Dr Noman Ahmed, pro vice chancellor of NEDUET, said the partnership reflected the university’s commitment to applying engineering innovation to public safety and sustainable urban development.
Javed Akbar Riaz, DIG Zonal Commander of the National Highways and Motorway Police (South), said the force remained committed to supporting efforts that enhanced road-user awareness and reduced accidents through research and coordination.
