Static check posts removed from highway to streamline traffic: IG

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 26

To streamline the “entry system” in the state, the traffic police have removed all the static checkpoints from Lakhanpur to Srinagar.

Inspector General of Police JP Singh, who has recently taken charge of the Traffic Department, today said, “We are taking it as a challenge to streamline the traffic system in the state and initially we have removed the static check posts from the highway to provide smooth journey to the passengers.”

The IG, along with DIG, Traffic, Ashkoor Wani and SSP, Traffic, Mohan Lal, while addressing a press conference, said they had meetings with all the stakeholders of the traffic system, especially the Matador Union in Jammu, in which they listened to their problems and apprised them of the traffic problems created in the city because of their irregularity.

“We have identified some spots for Matador stops and asked the Matador unions to follow these stops strictly, else heavy fine will be levied on them,” said the IG, Traffic.

The traffic police had also launched a major campaign against traffic violations in Jammu city. During the last seven days 1,431 motorcyclists were challaned — 72 for triple-riding, 1,148 for not wearing crash helmet, and 211 for driving without driving licence. A fine of Rs 1,93,800 had been realised from the violators. The aim of the drive was to minimise the loss of life and limb caused due to accidents on the roads, he said.

Special teams had also been constituted under the supervision of senior officers, not below the rank of Inspector, who would conduct checking at important crossings and traffic points in the city centre. It had also been decided to come down heavily on the drivers indulging in visible traffic violations, viz overloading, rooftop loading, speeding, wrong parking/roadside parking, sudden stopping for picking/dropping the passengers, non-use of seat belts, jumping of traffic signal lights, use of mobile phones while driving, triple-riding on two-wheelers, non-wearing of crash helmet, wheeling/stunt biking, especially by the youth, driving under the influence of liquor and other traffic violations, he said.

In order to ensure speedy redress of traffic-related complaints, general public was welcome to register their complaints on phone numbers 0191-2578774 and 2459048 at any time. Similarly, complaints of malpractices, etc, against traffic police personnel could also be registered on the phone numbers, he said.

Compound money to the tune of Rs 48,72,486 had been realised from the violators during the period. This was in addition to the towing charges (for wrong parking) of Rs 5,46,086 and court fine of Rs 10,28,650 realised by the courts on the challans done by the traffic police.