Netizens target cops for posts on fines

BENGALURU:  With revised fines under the amended Motor Vehicle Act, the Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP) have been posting daily updates on the hefty fines being levied, on twitter. While the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), BR Ravikanthe Gowda has been posting these statistics, he was targeted by netizens for the same. 

Citizens pointed out that the BTP should instead post the average time to cross traffic junctions, updates at congested places, number of traffic policemen deployed at each junctions and the number of signals that are not working. Replying to Gowda’s post on fines, a twitter user @shashibk said, “What about traffic management? Can you publish metrics like average time to cross Silk Board, or the average speed on ORR during peak hours?” 

Some have even asked him to initiate traffic awareness drives to ensure people obey traffic rules. @snbhadri said, “Like other states, impose helmet-less drivers with new helmets so that one does not breaks rules.” 

Replying to the citizens’ demands, Gowda said, “We have carried out a lot of traffic awareness drives for many years. It’s high time people start following traffic rules and regulations.”
A senior traffic police officer said, “In spite of the increased fines, the city still has many violators and the public needs to know.”