In the coming months, violators of traffic rules will have to be careful as the Bengaluru Traffic Police has decided to include 50 major junctions under the Zero Tolerance Junctions’ project.
Currently, 10 junctions are being monitored intensively by the traffic police. With over 90 lakh violations recorded in 2016 and an additional 7 lakh in January this year, the traffic police is faced with an uphill task of bringing order in city roads.
“We have decided to add two more junctions — Basaveshwara Circle and Silk Board — to the list of 10 immediately. Instead of recording violations on camera, the policemen deputed there will stop violators and issue spot challans,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) R. Hitendra.
Started in January this year, around 43,000 violations have been booked at the 10 junctions till February 22. Across the city, there have been 1.6 lakh cases of vehicle owners crossing the stop line or zebra crossing while halting for traffic signals.
“We have to enforce rules strictly in order to get people to start following them. The project is intended to create awareness and teams booking cases on the spot is the best way to make violators realise their error,” Mr. Hitendra said.
In the past, efforts to enforce rules such as lane discipline and stopping before zebra crossings have failed as road signages like lane marking and pedestrian crossings were faded or unmarked.
However, this time the traffic police are ensuring that enforcement is increased around junctions that have recently been improved.
“The junctions, which will be added in future, will be chosen based on the ongoing improvement work. These junctions will have signages, stop lines, cameras and other infrastructure in order to guide vehicle users,” he said.
