Kerala - Kochi   

Now SMS your traffic complaints

KOCHI: The SMS Traffic Complaint facility, a new community policing initiative from the city police, will be launched on January 12 at the third anniversary celebrations of the Police Residents Associations Initiative in District Ernakulam (PRIDE).

The public can SMS the registration number of the vehicle about which they want to complain to the number 54545. The service is being tried out with technical assistance from Idea Cellular Limited.

The SMSes will be monitored at the control room and the person concerned with the vehicle against which the complaint is lodged would be summoned. “If they challenge the complaint, the complainant will also be summoned to verify facts. Otherwise, action is initiated against the offenders,” said Manoj Abraham, City Police Commissioner.

The status of the complaints can be followed up by calling the crime stopper number 1090.

The city Police are trying to make the number to which the SMSs are to be sent toll-free.

The police are expecting that access to the identity of the complainant would bring down the number of false complaints.

The city Police has intensified the special drive against reckless and drunk driving. The drive was relaxed for a couple of days ahead of Christmas and the city had 4 deaths and 18 accidents during this period, mostly during night hours, said Mr. Abraham. During the period up to New Year, the police will book drivers who are found driving dangerously.

While the drive was on, not only accidents but robberies and other case had also come down, said Mr. Abraham. During evening and night hours, nearly 85 teams of police personnel, including law-and-order and traffic personnel, would be positioned at various points in the city.

“During the last three months, we got nearly 150 e-mails, a majority of which were from women appreciating the drive against drink driving,” said Mr. Abraham.

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