Fatal mishaps, challans fail to decelerate speed freaks
Learning no lessons from numerous fatal accidents and umpteen drives by the traffic police to challan those found speeding and guilty of other violations, motorists continue to drive at blazing speeds paying no heed to the disastrous consequences.
Learning no lessons from numerous fatal accidents and umpteen drives by the traffic police to challan those found speeding and guilty of other violations, motorists continue to drive at blazing speeds paying no heed to the disastrous consequences.
The traffic police have slammed 1,772 challans for speeding this year, of which 599 challans were issued in October alone.
Apart from speeding, the police have issued 731 challans for drunken driving and nearly 19,000 challans for not wearing seat belts while driving a four-wheeler.
In 2013, as many as 258 people had lost their lives in road mishaps and 286 had suffered injuries. The number of victims stands at 138 in the first six months of 2014, while an equal number of people were left injured.
According to traffic cops, the speed limit within city limits was 50 kmph, while the limit on elevated road was 40 kmph. Any vehicle exceeding these limits can be challaned.
They said motorists not paying heed to the speed limits not only put their lives in danger, but also those of others on the roads.
Lack of infrastructure dogs police
In a city like Ludhiana where the number of vehicles is more than 13 lakh and continues to increase with every passing day, the traffic wing surprisingly has only one speed-gun to check speeding vehicles.
Dr Richa Agnihotri, assistant commissioner of police (traffic), said they would get more speed guns in the future, but at present they had only one, which they used to check vehicles randomly at different places of the city.
Besides, the traffic wing of the police commissionerate has been reeling under staff crunch. The wing has only 220 officials to control a massive vehicle count of 13 lakh.
Police commissioner Pramod Ban said the police were working hard to streamline traffic in the city, but it was not possible without a conscientious effort by residents, as even though they had strengthened night patrolling to deter such incidents, PCR staff were not equipped to chase motorists zipping by on high speeds.
He added that only motorists paying heed to their own safety could decrease incidents of speeding, and consequential fatal mishaps, in the city.
