The Kerala Police have evolved a strategy to streamline traffic in the capital and intensify enforcement of road rules.
State Police Chief Loknath Behera on Sunday announced the decision to deploy six ‘Cheetah’ enforcement vehicles across the city police limits, which will be divided into six zones for effective traffic management. The endeavour, which will come into effect within two weeks, is aimed at ensuring a round-the-clock traffic enforcement mechanism. It has been envisaged on the lines of the White Patrol system that had existed in the city earlier.
Mr. Behera was addressing a meeting of various stakeholders convened to assess the traffic woes of the city and generate suggestions to adopt remedial measures.
Dubai’s plan
Speaking on the occasion, the top officials also elaborated on the ambitious plan to emulate the successful artificial intelligence-based Integrated Traffic Management System of Dubai police in Thiruvananthapuram city within six months. The proposed system, which has been approved by the State government, will help to overcome the staff shortage in the traffic police wing to decongest the arterial roads of the city.
The Kerala Police will also soon roll out a mobile application that will enable the public to report traffic violations, based on which legal action will be initiated against the erring motorists.
The meeting witnessed numerous complaints as well as proposals that were raised by Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillors, senior citizens, representatives of residents associations and their umbrella organisation, Federation of Residents’ Association (FRAT). The State Police Chief constituted a special team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic, Law and Order) A. Aadihthya to examine the 3,000-odd suggestions that were generated through the mass contact programme. While most of these would be implemented within three months, those requiring policy decisions would be forwarded to the government for approval, Mr. Behera said.
The wide-ranging proposals for traffic reforms included demands to create a permanent location for agitations, preferably in Shangumughom area, to avoid traffic snarls on the MG Road. There were also calls to adopt a decentralised system for plying bus services in the city to decongest East Fort, which currently was the originating point for city services.
Many participants flagged the issue of frequent traffic snarls in certain areas including Eenchakkal, Attakulangara, Poojappura, Thirumala, Sreekaryam and Ulloor. The menace of motorcyclists riding on pavements was also cited by the attendees, particularly, senior citizens and morning walkers.
The unscientific calibration of traffic signals and those that malfunctioned at various points were also among the topics of discussion. District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram City) M.R. Ajith Kumar and Additional Commissioner of Police Harshita Attaluri were also present on the occasion.
