Admn cracks down on traffic violators

Intensifying the crackdown against traffic rule violators, the administration on Sunday said it has seized nearly 1,000 vehicles and fined another 4,835 in different districts of the Kashmir zone during the last five days.

A police spokesman here said the Traffic Department in the past five days seized 1,074 vehicles and fined another 4,853 vehicles. The crackdown against traffic rule violators has been launched across the Kashmir zone.

The spokesman said drivers and commuters had to adapt to “certain measures” to ensure safety and hassle-free traffic movement.

The measures include wearing a helmet, avoid overtaking, control speeding, avoid triple riding, wear seat belts, avoid driving on the wrong side, avoid use of tinted glasses, halting vehicles on pedestrian crossings and avoiding using cellphones while driving.

“People are urged to obey the traffic rules and cooperate with the police for the smooth and hassle-free movement of traffic on roads,” the spokesman said.

The crackdown against violators launched by the traffic police is underway for the past several months now. Earlier this month, the police had announced that it has seized 1,303 vehicles and fined 16,272 vehicles in September and October.

The urban centers of Kashmir region like Srinagar city, which has a vehicle population of 2.61 lakh, are struggling with growing traffic as administration has so far failed to contain chaotic gridlocks and congestion during rush hours.

The traffic in the past years has increased exponentially as the number of vehicles registered with the state’s Transport Department has almost touched 13 lakh and is increasing at an average of 1.10 lakh new vehicles every year.

The number is expected to rise to 15.75 lakh vehicles in next three years.