Port Blair, Jan 03: The Director General of Police, Mr. SBS Deol has lauded Dy.SP (Traffic) Mr. N. Rasheed and the hundred and fourteen hard-working policemen, policewomen and Home Guards, who are posted in the Traffic Branch and spend long hours on standing duty in the hot sun or pelting rain, to ensure safety of road users.
In a press release today the DGP said that the Traffic Branch at Port Blair has carried out considerable hard work during the past year, and has gained the appreciation of the press and the public.
He said that a total of 575 drivers were found intoxicated while driving vehicles. They were arrested, their vehicles seized, challans sent to the Court and their names have been recommended for cancellation of driving license to the State Transport Authority.
Besides this, 1,436 drivers were challaned for dangerous driving, 1,113 for over-speeding, 2,396 for obstructive parking, 89 challans were issued for driving two-wheelers without helmets, 926 challans for drivers not wearing uniforms, 336 persons were not using seatbelts, 355 were using mobile phones, 678 vehicles were challaned for tinted glass, 2,592 were challaned for stop line or traffic signal violations, 1,208 were without driving licenses while driving, 820 Autorikshas were detected with meters that were not working and 266 defective number plates have been detected.
The DGP added that as against 27,499 challans in 2011, a total of 28,322 challans were booked in 2012. The fine amount realized has gone up from `61,92,100 to `64,99,300 rupees.
“Enforcement by executing 28,322 challans, is a tremendous achievement considering that the population of our islands is under 4 lakh individuals,” the DGP said.
The Traffic Police regulates 30 schools every day to ensure parking and child pedestrian safety. Many functions on Republic Day and Independence Day were organised. The roadside market at Aberdeen on these two occasions has also been re-located and regulated.
“There are also numerous other occasions such as Durga Pooja and Vishwakarma Pooja when long processions come on the roads. A total of 3,265 tourists and members of the public have availed the facility of Pre-paid booths set up at Airport, Mohanpura and Phoenix Bay. The traffic police has identified 10 parking places in the PBMC area in association with Revenue Authorities, six of these are at Goalghar near Andaman Residency, Prem Nagar, in front of Delanipur School, near Carmel via Central School, near Ayush Hospital, near Office of Director Accounts. A further two parking places near Netaji Stadium and at Bhatu Basti are under construction,” he said.
The DGP added that perhaps the greatest achievement of the Traffic Police has been in educating the public to observe the ‘Stop-line’ at intersections.
“Tourists and visitors to the Andamans have remarked that this is the only city in the country where this phenomena is seen. The Traffic Police has also engaged the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and they have started a comprehensive study to arrive at solutions and re-design intersections, which will be completed by the end of this month. The growing prosperity of our Islands is showcased by the number of new vehicles arriving every year. In the last two years, 5,200 vehicles have been added to the roads bringing the grand total to around 80,200 vehicles,” Mr. Deol added.
