For a week now, arterial roads and intersections in city outskirts have come under the intense eye of the police. They have been checking motorists for helmets and seatbelts. Every day, on an average, around 100 persons are being fined for not wearing either of the two. The roads include Puzhal-Red Hills Road, Surapet Main Road, Kundrathur Main Road, Mount-Poonamallee Main Road, Chennai Thiruvallur High (CTH) Road, Grand Northern Trunk (GNT) Road in Madhavaram and Poonamallee High (PH) Road.
Many motorists coming from Ambattur, Padi, Mannurpet, Pattaravakkam, Madhavaram, Red Hills, Annanoor, Thirunindravur, Porur, Kundrathur, Iyyapanthangal and Mangadu do not follow the helmet rule. “Many motorists in these areas do not even carry helmets with them when they are riding their motorcycles. With many battered intersections and rash driving, accidents are frequent in these areas,” says A. Ramaraj, inspector, Ambattur Industrial Estate police (traffic wing).
Police personnel say the drive is a continuous process with frequent checks at selected accident-prone spots in the city outskirts. Most of the accidents happen mainly at intersections near Ambattur Industrial Estate bus terminus, Ambattur toll plaza, Mangadu junction, Poonamallee bus terminus, Red Hills market and near Madhavaram roundtana. Most of these intersections are narrow and poorly maintained and are poorly lit.
On an average, at least two accidents occur in these spots every week. In most cases, ambulances are located far from these intersections as there is no adequate space near these intersections to station ambulances permanently. More importantly, most of these stretches are used by goods-laden lorries at night.
As part of the drive, traffic violators were given counselling on the need to wear helmets and seatbelts. Pamphlets bearing messages about road safety were distributed to motorists and pedestrians to create awareness about the benefits of wearing helmets and seatbelts. “Most of the offenders are between the age group of 18 and 25 years. The drive will continue till the accidents at key spots come down,” say a police personnel.