Road safety crackdown: Transport dept issues 3,177 challans, seizes 198 vehicles
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
In a special three-day road safety enforcement drive conducted across Uttarakhand from August 21 to 23 following the directions of the transport commissioner Ravindra Raman, the Transport department in the Dehradun division issued 3,177 challans and seized 198 vehicles for serious violations. According to the officials, under the guidance and supervision of the regional transport officer (Enforcement and Road Safety) Dehradun division, Anita Chamola, 24/7 intensive checking was carried out by enforcement teams on national highways, state highways and other major roads in various shifts throughout the day and night.
During this special drive, 609 over-speeding cases, 269 overloading cases, 305 wrong parking cases, 120 cases pertaining to goods protruding from the vehicles, 13 drunk driving cases and 313 driving without a helmet cases were reported.
The Enforcement officers have recommended action against the licenses of 371 drivers involved in these violations. Special attention was given to heavy, medium and other vehicles parked unsafely on the main roads or the roadside instead of designated parking areas on national and state highways.
The officials emphasised that vehicles parked on the roadside at night, lacking adequate warning signs, reflectors, or safety systems, could pose serious risks for vehicles approaching from behind. Effective enforcement action was taken against such vehicles during the campaign, officers said.
The enforcement teams also specifically checked goods vehicles carrying iron rods, shuttering materials, beams, pipes or other materials protruding outside the carriers. This unsafe transportation poses a serious threat to the lives and property of two-wheeler riders, pedestrians and other vehicles on the road, the officers said, adding that action was taken against 112 vehicles in this category.
Raman stated, “Road safety is a top priority for the Transport department. Vehicles parked unsafely on the roadside, overspeeding, overloading, drunk driving and protruding rods or other materials can all lead to serious road accidents. The objective of this special campaign is not just to issue challans, but to minimise road accidents and the resulting loss of life by reining in such risky behaviour.”
Echoing the view, Chamola said that the enforcement teams were deployed in day and night shifts to conduct 24/7 checks during the campaign in the Dehradun division. “A particular focus was placed on violations that directly increase the risk of serious road accidents,” she added.
The Transport department clarified that special enforcement drives against serious road safety violations would continue in the future.
