The Hindu : Kerala News : Traffic police to get a facelift

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 14, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Traffic police to get a facelift

By Our Staff Reporter

THRISSUR, JUNE 13. The traffic police in the State will get a face-lift with the implementation of the road safety component of the World Bank-aided Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP).

According to official sources, the traffic police will be given equipment like speed radars for ensuring road safety under the project. The DGP, Hormese Tharakan, told The Hindu here that steps would be taken to set up a computerised accident data analysis system to identify the spots prone to accidents. The reason for the increase in accidents in these spots would be analysed further and corrective measures taken. The software for this was in the final stage and was being developed by a group in Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, he said.

"The WHO officials were so impressed by the software that they want it to be popularised not only in other States, but also in other developing countries,'' he said.

Pointing out that the KSTP project aimed at upgrading the quality of nearly 1,600 km stretch of roads in the State, the DGP said the improvement of the quality of the roads might lead to increase in the speed of vehicles, which in turn could lead to more accidents. To avoid this, there would have to be strict monitoring and regulation of speed by using equipment like radars. The PWD officials coordinating the KSTP said the road safety component of the project included the construction of medians and road dividers and erection of proper traffic signals. The DGP said that discussions were on regarding the implementation of the Modernisation in Government Programme in the Police department. The officials of the Administrative Staff College who are providing the input for the programme have already briefed the district SP-level officers on the objectives of the programme. Under the programme, the quality of service delivery will be improved in selected 57 police stations in the State. On an average, three police stations have been selected in each district and most of them are in the tribal and backward areas. Steps would be taken to make these police stations `people-friendly'. The areas where service improvement has to be carried out have been identified and classified into seven different categories. There would be reception counters in such police stations. Enough complaint boxes will also be provided.The DGP said . that as per the present plan, all the police stations in the State would be computerised within two years.

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