BEIRUT: The Beirut Traffic Control Center was launched Saturday, the latest step in a project to rein in traffic problems in the Greater Beirut.

The center is part of the Urban Transport Development Project, which is funded by the World Bank and supervised by the Council for Development and Reconstruction. The project aims to provide Beirut with the basic institutions the city needs to address its transportation problems and improve circulation and parking management.

According to Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, the center will be accompanied by measures to toughen penalties for traffic violations.

“Traffic laws in Lebanon require raising fines and penalties against offenders, as will be observed by the new traffic law following Parliament approval,” said Charbel, who was speaking during a ceremony he held for the launch the Beirut Traffic Control Center.

According to the project coordinator, Brigadier Joseph Doueihi, the center is the most important part of the project and is equipped with surveillance cameras in order to monitor traffic and resolve traffic jams.

Red light cameras will soon be installed to record vehicles that run right lights, joining already installed speed radars.

The project director, Eli Helou, listed the project’s achievements to date, including establishing a traffic management committee, organizing street parking and training traffic police.

Charbel also said that the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to Lebanon, Rahmeh Zouabi, expressed his country’s willingness to provide the center with equipment for an electronic system for speed violations. Under the system, drivers would be immediately informed of their violation through an SMS message sent by the Internal Security Forces.

“Launching the traffic control center in greater Beirut will contribute to alleviating the city’s traffic crisis,” Charbel said, adding that the UTDP is expected to be completed by the end of the year.