The Hindu : Kerala News : Drive to check accidents on Aroor-Palakkad stretch

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 18, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

Drive to check accidents on Aroor-Palakkad stretch

John L. Paul

Licence of violators of rules will be cancelled

KOCHI: Aimed at checking accidents in the Aroor-Palakkad stretch of NH 47, the Motor Vehicles' Department has embarked on a drive to cancel the driving licence of those indulging in blatant violation of traffic rules.

This is said to be the first initiative of its kind in the State. The direction was issued by Transport Commissioner Ramesh Chandra Bhanu following a spurt in accidents in the sector due to rash driving. Particularly dangerous is the narrow Angamaly-Palakkad stretch, which is two-lane.

The Deputy Transport Commissioner (Thrissur) has been placed in charge of coordinating the efforts of 30 MVD personnel who will be on the field, round the clock. The team, comprising motor vehicle inspectors and assistant motor vehicle inspectors, will be divided into four groups. They will be armed with speed radars and breath analysers.

Ernakulam RTO M.N. Prabhakaran said that a few weeks ago, the personnel were given training at the Aluva YMCA on handling speed radars, breath analysers etc. "Senior officials of the department led the classes. The department embarked on the drive to revoke licence on finding that compounding offences (by imposing fines) was ineffective in checking rash driving."

The MVD personnel will focus on those indulging in rash and negligent driving, over-speeding, drunken driving, overtaking through the left side, dangerous overtaking, violating lane-discipline, overloading vehicles, not dimming the headlights, parking in a way obstructing movement of other vehicles and crossing yellow lines. Those who drive vehicles which are ill-maintained and lacking basic lights and safety precautions too will be brought to book.

"The personnel will coordinate the drive using walkie-talkies. The details of vehicles being driven rashly will be passed on to a team waiting further up the road. Drivers who do not carry the original licence will have to give the details like licence number, so that the department can take steps to revoke their licence. The MVD will inform its counterparts in other States in case the licence is not issued from Kerala, and ask them to revoke it. The original licence will have to be produced within 15 days," Mr. Prabhakaran said.

In case a lorry or bus driver is found violating rules, he will be barred from driving heavy vehicles for a specific period. He will not be able to take fresh licence from anywhere in India, till the period is over. Notices warning drivers against violation of rules will be distributed at check-posts and toll booths.

The MVD teams will focus on four sectors: Aroor-Angamaly, Angamaly-Ambaloor, Ambaloor-Vadakkumcherry and Vadakkumcherry-Palakkad. A few months down the lane, the department will take stock of accident statistics in the Aroor-Palakkad sector, to ascertain the effectiveness of the drive.

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