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After Baramulla accident, cops crack down on traffic violators
Traffic officials said that their and transport department have been conducting the drives and issuing challans to the erring drivers continuously, but Wednesday’s accident has given further impetus to the process
The traffic authorities in Kashmir’s rural areas have launched a massive drive against traffic violators after a major accident on Wednesday claimed 10 lives in the Valley’s Baramulla district.
Traffic officials said that their and transport department have been conducting the drives and issuing challans to the erring drivers continuously, but Wednesday’s accident has given further impetus to the process.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP traffic rural) Ravinder Paul Singh said that the driver of the ill-fated vehicle had nine challans against him and his license was recommended for cancellation.
“He was carrying 15 people in the sumo, which has a capacity of 9 or 10,” Singh said.
On Wednesday, eight persons, including three women, lost their lives and seven others were injured when the vehicle they were travelling in from Bujthala village to Boniyar in Uri fell into a gorge. Two more men succumbed to their injuries on Thursday. The driver was among the dead.
Singh said that the drive launched against erring drivers for overloading or stunt driving was a continuous one. “We have conducted some 250 drives in the past one year,” he said.
“In the past 13 months, 120,000 challans have been issued for overloading besides we have also decided for 160 cancellations of driving licenses and RCs,” he said.
As many as 41,750 drivers were fined for not wearing helmets while 7,545 drivers were fined for driving without High Security Registration Plates (HSRP).
He said that the drive was not just in the aftermath of the accident. “We keep on coming to the people, making them aware about the overloading and fitness of the vehicles. But the drivers ignore. Even passengers should be aware,” he said.
The official said that non-registered sumo stands would not be allowed to operate in the rural areas.
