As per a research by the Department of Geography, Andhra University the ‘City of Destiny’ has grown rapidly post Independence. From an urban area of 26 sq km in 1974 it has grown to over 540 sq km as on today. And from a population of about 16,000 in 1858 it has grown to about 25 lakh.
Apart from the physical and population expansion, the vehicular traffic has grown manifold.
There are now close to 12 lakh vehicles of different types plying on the roads and the rate of accidents has touched an all time high. In 2016 alone the city recorded over 1300 accidents accounting for 329 deaths.
With this as a backdrop the City Police have mooted the idea of starting a Traffic Training Institute.
Commissioner of Police T. Yoganand has sent a proposal with details of the requirement for the institute, but it appears to be gathering dust at Vijayawada.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Yoganand, said, “The city has grown exponentially, and it needs an institute to train the traffic police, as well as counsel traffic violators,” said Mr. Yoganand.
“If the proposal is accepted then Visakhapatnam will be the first city in the successor state of AP to have a TTI. There is a TTI in Hyderabad which earlier served the need for the combined State,” he said.
According to sources in the police, training for the traffic policemen is essential. The traffic police are rotated and the new batch needs to be trained in traffic management. Even the existing needs to be upgraded with the latest techniques to manage traffic.
Apart from training the police, the TTI will serve as training and counselling centres for erring motorists such as drunken drivers and minors. Even the parents of minors can be counselled at the TTI, said the Commissioner of Police.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP-Traffic) K Mahendra Patrudu said for the police who join duties and for those who shift from Law and Order to traffic, classes would be conducted over violations, the norms and the enforcement they need to take. Moreover the TTI would help the on duty traffic police to tune their minds and follow uniform enforcement. "Classes could be conducted for the traffic police on how to deal with various violations in a better way", he added.
