• Drive against triple riding, helmetless riding, speaking over phone
• Our motto is to save lives, not just impose fines, says City Top Cop

Mysore/Mysuru: With traffic violations increasing day-by-day, Mysuru Traffic Police, who began traffic offences checking drive across the city from Mar. 23, have intensified the same today.

The Cops are trying to apply brakes on violations such as triple riding, helmetless riding, speaking over phone while driving or riding, drunk driving and signal jumping among other violations that were snuffing out lives and leaving many permanently disabled.

On May 23, the Traffic Police have booked a total of 246 cases against offenders which include 218 helmetless riding, 25 triple riding and three defective silencer cases. Today from 10.30 am, the Traffic Police were seen conducting checking drives on all major roads and junctions, Circles and other spots.

While Devaraja Traffic Inspector Muniyappa was leading his team comprising Sub-Inspectors Jayakumar and Mallamma S. Bandi and staff; Krishnaraja (KR) Traffic Inspector Manjunath, Sub-Inspectors Pooja and Madan Kumar; Siddarthanagar Traffic Inspector Nataraj and Sub-Inspectors Bhavya and Anil Kumar; Narasimharaja (NR) Traffic Inspector Suresh Kumar and Sub-Inspectors Ashwini and Nataraj and V.V. Puram Traffic Inspector Prasanna Kumar and Sub-Inspectors Nagaraj and Sridhar are conducting drives in their respective jurisdictions.

On instructions from City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, drives are being supervised by ACP (Traffic) S.E. Gangadharswamy and DCP (Crime and Traffic) M.S. Geetha Prasanna. The checking drives were being conducted simultaneously near Fountain Circle, Mahadevapura Road, Deve Gowda Circle, K.R. Circle, Royal Inn junction on KRS Road, Matrumandali Circle, Bogadi Road near Kukkarahalli Lake, Vijaya Bank Circle in Kuvempunagar and other places.

Many motorists were seen taking a ‘U’ turn and using alternate routes to avoid checking.

Meanwhile, City Top Cop Dr. Chandragupta, speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, said that traffic violation cases, especially triple riding, drunk driving, driving without fastening seat belts, riding two-wheelers without wearing helmet and speaking over phone while driving vehicles had increased leading to accidents. Hence, to prevent loss of lives and limbs, Traffic Police have intensified checkings.

“We want motorists to understand the importance of following traffic rules. We want to make them understand the importance of life. Our motto is to save lives not just impose fines, register cases, seize vehicles or impound the Driving Licence of traffic rule violators,” Dr. Chandragupta said and added that such checking drives will continue in city besides urging motorists to follow rules and avoid being penalised. 

Traffic lessons

 It may be recalled, in a bid to regulate vehicular traffic, to ease congestion, as well as to sensitise motorists on various traffic rules at major junctions and Circles, the City Police had launched a Public Address System traffic awareness drive a few years back.

A Public Address System, comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers and related equipment were installed in all major Circles and a Traffic Police Constable was making mike announcement on all traffic violations. The Traffic Police, who arrive on major roads and prominent Circles daily at 8 am, used to alert motorists about traffic rules by making mike announcements. They also used to caution riders without helmets, speaking on mobile phone while driving, carrying more than three people on two-wheelers, pedestrians trying to cross at Zebra Crossings even if there is no signal, motorists jumping red signals and other such traffic violations.  Despite such initiatives, most of the motorists are violating the rules, which has prompted the Traffic Police to initiate stringent action against them.