PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
In a major crackdown on traffic violations aimed at enhancing road safety, the regional transport officer (RTO) has issued challans for 230 vehicles and impounded 71 during an intensive three- day checking drive across seven areas under the Dehradun division from June 2 to June 4. This drive was conducted under the direction of the regional transport officer (Enforcement and Road Safety), Anita Chamola.
The operation targeted several areas, including Dehradun, Vikasnagar, Rishikesh, Roorkee, Haridwar, Tehri and Uttarkashi, to address issues such as over-speeding, rash driving, operation of vehicles without valid documents, unauthorised commercial use of private vehicles, use of hooter sirens and unauthorised lights, among others.
The officials reported that the enforcement teams issued challans for 230 vehicles while 71 were impounded. Within this campaign, 82 vehicles were challaned for over-speeding while 79 were challaned for carrying passengers commercially in private vehicles. Additional violations included driving without permits, fitness certificates, licenses, insurance and seat belts, the officials said.
The officials further informed that the enforcement teams focused their checking at key locations in the city, such as the ISBT, railway station, tourist spots, highways and border areas. In Dehradun, the drive was led by the assistant regional transport officer (Enforcement), Pankaj Srivastava along with the transport tax officers M D Papnoi, Anuradha Pant, Pragya Pant and the Bike Squad. In Rishikesh, ARTO (Enforcement) Rashmi Pant led the operation. In Haridwar, the drive was overseen by ARTO (Enforcement) Neha Jha along with transport tax officers Varuna Saini, Bharat Bhushan and Manisha Shah along with others.
Chamola stated that the main objective of this campaign is to raise awareness among drivers about the safe operation of vehicles and the importance of complying with traffic rules, especially during the busy tourist season. She emphasised on the need to control accidents and informed that the drivers and passengers have been educated about road safety and traffic regulations during the enforcement operations.
She urged vehicle owners and drivers to be mindful of increased traffic pressures due to the tourist season and to avoid speeding, rash driving and drunk driving. She also urged everyone to use only commercial vehicles with yellow number plates for rentals while adding that this campaign will continue periodically to ensure road safety and reduce accidents.
