Mysore/Mysuru: Looks like people are not scared of COVID-19 anymore. The same people who observed maximum restraint during the initial days of lockdown till lockdown 3.0 are now moving freely on the roads as all the restrictions have been removed and even the bars, clubs and restaurants are allowed to serve liquor. 

As such there is free movement of vehicles in the otherwise deserted roads during lockdown. But the city Police have not taken the free movement lightly and they have intensified traffic checks and are penalising the offenders. 

As part of their normal routine, they are standing at vantage points and are catching offenders. The drive has been launched under the guidance of Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) S.N. Sandesh Kumar in the limits of V.V. Puram, Krishnaraja, Devaraja, Narasimharaja and Siddartha Traffic Police Stations. 

The Traffic Cops are holding this drive at all traffic junctions and other places to mainly check the violations such as signal jumping, riding without helmet, use of mobile phones while driving and rash and negligent driving. The purpose of intensifying the drive is also to check accidents within the city limits and to ensure the smooth flow of traffic, said an officer.

Fine collection

In  August, the traffic Police had booked 1,01,324 cases and collected a fine amount of Rs. 82,11,800 for a variety of traffic violations which included triple riding, riding without helmet, entering one-way, use of mobile phones while driving. 

Out of the total 1.01 lakh cases, over 100 cases were pertaining to alteration of bike silencers which was causing public nuisance.