The Hindu : Kerala News : Drive to book erring motorists

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Friday, Feb 03, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

Drive to book erring motorists

Staff Reporter

Commuters complain of rash driving

KOCHI: Even as the Traffic Police are working hard to ensure smooth traffic flow in the city limits, a stretch of road just outside the heart of the city seems to have escaped their attention.

Local commuters complain that the absence of police presence between Bristow Road and Naval Base has resulted in rash and careless driving. They say it is risky to drive along this stretch during peak hours, between 7.30 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. Lack of control by the police has resulted in reckless overtaking, they said.

Talking to The Hindu , City Police Commissioner P. Vijayan said the situation had changed in the last couple of months. "We have done a survey of the traffic in association with the Cochin Port Trust."

Though the region comes under the jurisdiction of the Mattanchery Traffic Police, taking into consideration the changed situation, the Harbour Police have been asked to handle the stretch.

"After enforcement of traffic laws was made strict, the number of cases registered, especially cases of drunken driving, have increased.

Some sections of container drivers have protested against the strict policing," said Mr. Vijayan.

Undeterred by the protests, the police are planning to strengthen the drive against erring drivers. "More action will be taken along this stretch," said Mr. Vijayan.

The CPT officials are also working on the lines of easing traffic on Willingdon Island. "We are planning to convert 5-6 acres near the new Thoppumpady Bridge as a trailer parking site, so that vehicles having no immediate assignment can move out of the island," said H.C. Venkitesh, Traffic Manager, CPT.

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