Sir,

Apropos the news item titled ‘Defective number plates: 166 two-wheelers seized in two-day drive’ (Star of Mysore dated Aug. 3), this long-overdue initiative by the Traffic Police deserves appreciation.

The average number of two-wheelers seized per Traffic Police Station — around 33 — marks a commendable beginning. However, this figure represents only a small fraction of the two-wheelers on Mysuru roads with defective or missing number plates.

This drive must be made more intensive and sustained. A common shortcoming in current enforcement is the tendency of the Traffic Police to repeatedly position themselves at the same checkpoints. Habitual violators, ever alert and adaptive, simply avoid these known locations.

A disturbing new trend is the deliberate evasion of traffic cameras by riders. Offenders cover the front number plate with their hands, while pillion riders conceal the rear plate — particularly when approaching junctions equipped with surveillance cameras. Such tactics must be countered through mobile enforcement units and stringent penalties.

– K. Chandrahas, Mysuru, 4.8.2025