Though the police have taken efforts to create awareness of the importance of strictly following traffic rules among motorists and the public, roads are yet to become safer for users.
Private bus drivers are notorious in violating rules in Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai. They show no respect to road rules. They terrorise road users with their lightning speed and air horns as they are involved in cut-throat competition with their competitors to collect more money. So, they halt buses suddenly wherever they want to take or drop commuters.
After leaving the Palayamkottai bus stand for Tirunelveli Junction, they stop vehicles on the middle of the road opposite State Bank of India’s Palayamkottai branch, just 75 metres away from the bus stand, to pick up passengers.
Almost all buses, including the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses, halt at the busy Samathanapuram Junction turning to drop or pick up passengers causing traffic snarl. The badly damaged narrow and busy road at this point makes the situation worse as traffic jam triggers accidents everyday.
School students continue to ride two-wheelers at high speed and without helmets, sometimes with three persons, due to poor enforcement of law.
“When the Chennai City Police nabbed youngsters, who did not have driving licence, the owners of vehicles including their fathers, were booked and they had to pay fine. Similar kind of action should be taken here, which will effectively check violations of this sort,” said social activist Mahesh.
While boys cling to the footboard when going to their schools in the morning or returning to home in the evening, girl students of a college can be seen hanging on the footboard every evening near Palayamkottai bus stand. Though they are warned that such a violation would lead to cancellation of their bus passes, the warning has not been translated into action.
Sources in the police say acute manpower shortage in the traffic wing has badly hampered its functioning and enforcement of law to curb traffic violations. “We’ve to deploy Armed Reserve Police at busy points to regulate the traffic. If we’re given sanctioned strength, our presence will be felt everywhere to act tough against violators,” a senior police officer attached to the traffic wing said.
