For the ‘intensified drive’, a larger team of traffic cops will be deployed. Express Photo
In a few days, PUNE City Police’s traffic branch is planning to set up over 60 ‘no traffic rule violation zones’ across the city, where commuters will be fined for practically every traffic violation. Information on the violators will also be shared with the Regional Transport Office and Regional Passport Office, said police. Earlier, the traffic branch has conducted drives for rule violations under particular heads, such as driving under influence, tinted glass on cars, commuters without helmets and seat belts, and parking in no-parking zones. Under the next drive, commuters who violate any of these rules will be fined.
“From August 28, we will be conducting intensified drives at 66 locations in the city, which will be ‘no traffic rule violation’ zones. A higher number of traffic constables and officers will be deployed at these locations. They will closely monitor traffic flow and identify traffic violations under all the heads. The actions will be taken at random times,” said an officer from the traffic branch.
The 66 locations identified by police have been selected based on records of traffic violations and road mishaps in these areas.
“We take action against commuters who jump signals, halt on a zebra crossing, or are guilty of overspeeding, triple seat riding, driving without helmets, seatbelts, adequate documents, driving on the wrong side etc. The data about traffic violations is also being shared with the RTO and RPO. We hope that this will deter people from violating traffic rules. Traffic violations not only lead to accidents, they also cause traffic jams. The drive on ‘no traffic rule violation’ zones will continue for a significantly long period,” said an official.
In July, the traffic branch, with the help of local Ganesh mandals, had launched a similar drive on the stretch between Gadgil Statue and Swargate junction on Shivaji Road. At the beginning of the year, the traffic branch had launched a drive across the city, under which nakabandis, or barricades, were set up at checkpoints to spot commuters who have ignored electronically dispatched traffic violation challans, after which pending fines were recovered from them. Police officials said unpaid challans will also be recovered during the next drive.