Gurdeep Singh Mann
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, December 14
Tightening the noose around the traffic rule violators to bring respite from the frequent jams in Bathinda is being appreciated by the city residents but they have many other suggestions for the police force to tone up their functioning.
According to city residents, the removal of encroachments if fine but a lot remains to be done to bring respite. On the directions of the newly appointed Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Swapan Sharma, four roads have been identified as “No Tolerance Zone” on which traffic violators would be dealt with an iron hand.
The stretch between the Rose Garden to bus stand, bus stand to ITI Chowk, Hanuman Chowk to railway station and Liberty Chowk to Multania over-bridge have been declared as "No Tolerance Zones".
Lower-rung traffic policemen admit that their efforts need to be more comprehensive and that traffic violations must be dealt with in a more aggressive manner.
“This is being done to bring respite from the rising number of road accidents wherein a large number of people have lost their lives and many received injuries,” said social activist Gian Chand Bansal.
If the violators refuse to abide by the fresh guidelines, then heavy penalties should be imposed as on an average, 13 people lose their lives in road accidents everyday in Punjab.
Discussing the issue with traffic policemen, Bansal said encroachments removed by the cops during the day time boomerangs in the evening between 6 pm to 7pm. “This is the time when the rush of traffic is high as compared to day time,” he said.
Under the 'No Tolerance Zone' policy, police have removed nearly 80 to 90 per cent encroachments, mostly comprising vegetable and fruit sellers besides auto-rickshaws— from a 30 meter radius of the chowks and slip roads. As many as 23 points have been identified by dividing the city into four zones. An ASI is heading each zone under the supervision of an inspector and the SP (City) is overseeing these zones.
Out of 73 traffic policemen, around 60 come on duty to check traffic violations on these roads. “We need to make the public more aware with the help of loudspeakers and putting up hoardings of warning to check over-speeding, use of pressure horn and to remove encroachments,” said a traffic constable. He added that despite declaring certain areas as 'No Tolerance Zone', people still argue with them whenever cops ask them to follow the rules.
Traffic police inspector Gursharan Singh Purewal said the idea of using loudspeakers and putting up hoardings at the entry and exit points in the city would surely prove to be helpful in implementing the guidelines but who will fund the expenses, he questioned.
Quotes
1. Gian Chand Bansal, a social activist: “People are appreciating the move of Bathinda Police but they need to become more aggressive and introduce more ways and means to completely curb the ever rising number of road accidents.”
2. Chand Singh: “Bathinda Police should make these zones accident free by removing encroachments, even after 7 pm, by urging the public that it is for their benefit. If encroachments are kept at bay from the chowks, main roads and slip roads.”
3. Jatinder Khan: “The area of these zones should be increased gradually and people should cooperate with the traffic police and never raise any hue and cry over the issue of removing encroachments and abiding by the traffic rules.”
4. Harbans Singh: “Putting up the hoardings and boards at the entry and exit point and the use of loudspeakers to sensitise the public too would prove to be instrumental in bringing relief to the public from traffic hazards.”
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