The Chennai City Traffic Police (CCTP) has launched a novel initiative — Adopt a Road — to ensure road safety and seamless regulation of traffic on accident-prone sections of the city, and the success of the exercise hinges on co-opting residents, motorists and government agencies such as Greater Chennai Corporation, Tangedco and State Highways Department into the initiative.
As part of this initiative, inaugurated by City Police Commissioner Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal a fortnight ago, 65 accident-prone spots have been identified within the Greater Chennai Police Commissionerate limits.
Each hotspot will be monitored by a Road Inspector (RI) of the traffic police. “The foremost job of the Road Inspector is to ensure free flow of traffic on the hotspot route and prevent accidents. Residents and local traders are also being roped in to help achieve this objective,” says M. Selvam, Inspector (traffic wing), Valasaravakkam police station.
Identification and selection of hotspots are carried out by the respective RIs within the police station limits. The selected hotspots have to be monitored by the RI after ensuring that all required safety measures are tucked into place.
For example, two high-definition flash lights were installed between La Chatelaine School and Kesavardhini bus stop in Valasaravakkam on Arcot Road by the RI of Valasaravakkam police station as the carriageway is narrow and without a median. Similarly, Purasawalkam Main Road, between Tana Street intersection and Doveton junction, is a hotspot route where the RI removed illegal parking and roadside eateries to ensure free flow of traffic especially during rush hour.
On an average, each hotspot route should cover a distance of at least 100 metres. Besides, every week, a hotspot route should be identified by the RI and it will be the shortlisted hotspot route for that week.
Along with previously selected hotspot routes, these new routes should be monitored continually. No time frame has been given for delisting hotspot routes from the routine monitoring exercise. Removal of obstructions, especially encroachments such as those put up by roadside vendors, eateries on footpath, street-light poles, electrical transformers also comes under the purview of the initiative. More importantly, the RI has to also ensure overgrown trees on the hotspot routes are pruned.
Actually, such pruning of trees within city limits should be carried out by the civic body. However, as an exception, traffic police personnel are now allowed to carry out this exercise to ensure road safety.
