Cases booked till 1.30 pm

RTO East – 100 

RTO West – 120

Mysore/Mysuru: Officers of Regional Transport Office (RTO), Mysuru, swooped on streets across city to book violations by drivers of all kinds of motor vehicles this morning.

This came as a big surprise for Mysureans as the RTO officials stopped two-wheelers, cars, goods vehicles and trucks not only to check documents but also to check previous violations of traffic rules.

“We have launched a special drive from this morning and it will be held for next one week in different locations. A total of five teams, each led by RTO Inspector, have started the checking drive simultaneously across the city,” L. Deepak, Regional Transport Officer (East), who also holds additional charge of RTO (West), told Star of Mysore.

RTO Deepak said all documents such as driving licence, permit, emission certificate, insurance, tax paid receipt, fitness certificate, are checked. Besides, they were booking cases for helmetless driving and also for pending traffic violations caught through the CCTV cameras installed by the city Police at various automatic traffic signal junctions. 

No fixed place

He said the squad would change its location once in three to four hours to look out for ‘traffic violators’ in other parts of the city. The city Traffic Cops have to station themselves at their regular spots within their jurisdiction but for the RTO the entire city was their domain within which they have launched special drive, he said.  This was being held as part of Road Safety drive and educate people on the importance of following traffic rules as well as to punish regular offenders. 

The RTO also have same powers as enjoyed by Traffic Police in regard to checking of vehicles, booking of cases and collecting fine amount. “Now, I am stationed in front of Food Corporation of India godown on Bannimantap Road. I will shift to new location after two to three hours as riders tend to escape looking at us from a distance,” he noted.

The RTO said time had not been fixed for their ‘on the field operation’ as they had to attend work within the Office and outside. The drive was going on under the guidance of Dr. C.T. Murthy, Joint Commissioner, RTO, Mysuru. Each squad consists of an Inspector and two to three staff. They are equipped with the gadget to track previous violations of every vehicle with which they would collect the fine amount from violators. 

“As per the Government’s direction, fine amount was collected only through cash and issued receipt on the spot. They were not authorised to collect fine through other modes of payment,” he said.

‘Press’ man booked

RTO Deepak said while checking, a two-wheeler rider was wearing a jacket with ‘Press’ sticker on it. Upon questioning, he gave evasive replies and failed to produce documents that he belonged to media. So, he too was booked not for wearing ‘Press’ jacket but for other traffic offences. “We will warn persons other than media personnel, not to put ‘Press’ sticker on their vehicles to escape from Police or RTO. Our Inspectors have been asked to check those vehicles with such stickers and insist on producing documents or to book case following complaints of misuse of ‘Press’ sticker by many people,” the RTO added.