The ‘zero hour’ drive launched by the City police on Thursday to check traffic violations has so far netted 1,800 motorists, mainly two-wheeler riders. They have not been ticketed but will have to attend a two-hour mandatory traffic awareness session on January 22.
“On the first day, we caught nearly 1,000 persons for various offences. The special drive is going to be a success,” said District Police Chief K. Sanjay Kumar Gurudin. He said the zero-hour checking was carried out on Friday between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., in addition to routine checks by the police.
Assistant Commissioners, who head the drive, said 30 small squads had been formed within the city limits to carry out zero-hour checking at 30 pre-determined spots. The timing would be changed every day. Only those involved in serious offences would be penalised, they added.
ADVERTISEMENT
Helmet-less riders
A majority of those held during the checking were found riding vehicles without helmets, and of those, the majority were below 30 years of age. Under-age riders and those who drove vehicles violating the permitted load limit were also caught during the drive.
The police said the checking without penalising action would continue for a week to improve public awareness about traffic rules. Later, the drive would be conducted with strong legal action, they added. The intensive drive was launched in the city as part of efforts to reduce road accidents. Last year, as many as 281 persons lost their lives in various road accidents in the district. Of this, 131 deaths occurred within the city limits. About 50 of them were motorbike riders. Thirty-four pedestrians lost their lives in various accidents last year.
ADVERTISEMENT
The police had marked all the major black spots within city limits where accidents killed people last year. Though some of the spots painted in yellow and red faded, it had evoked good response among motorists and pedestrians.