Disturbed by the rising number of accidents in Kolkata,write a letter to the editor of the Kolkata chronicle to draw attention of the concerned authorities, explore the causes, consequences and solution to the situation
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KOLKATA: The sharp rise in prosecution for violating road rules, including drink-driving, could bring down the number of the accidents on city roads in 2019. Kolkata Police’s most effective step ostensibly was suspending licences of repeat offenders and those driving drunk. This year, police plan to extend the same punishment to bus drivers as well.
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As many as 2,533 driving licences were suspended for three weeks to six months on recommendation of traffic police in 2018, while the numbers shot up to 5,729—more than double—in 2019. Police said the total prosecution stood at an all-time high of 88,806, while the number of drunk drivers and two-wheeler riders, who were caught with breathalyzer tests, rose from 5,039 in 2018 to 8,571 in 2019. “We ensured we let motorists feel the pinch. They often get away with paying a certain amount. But once the practice of suspending licences and seizing vehicles started, a check was put on rash driving. Vehicle seizures have also risen three times than that of last year, most of them being bikes. From just 377 vehicles being seized in 2018, 1,585 vehicles were seized last year,” said Santosh Pandey, joint CP (crime).
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Now, police said, they planned to include bus drivers on their list of those whose licences would be revoked partially if they were found to be repeat offenders of violating rules. “Dangerous driving will not be tolerated at any cost. We are taking all measures for training bus drivers and bus owners have been approached for their inputs,” said a senior police officer.
The Lalbazar brass’s message has been terse and to the point: catch those who have grossly flouted rules, produce the evidence and write to the RTO, asking them to suspend the licences temporarily. Not unusually, most of those whose licences were temporarily suspended were from the young age bracket. “We have been asked to show no leniency. If required, we can recommend cancellation of licences permanently by approaching court after a grave accident. We have been set three priority areas—speeding, jumping signals and drink driving—for suspending licences,” said an officer from a central Kolkata traffic guard.
Police usually send a list of drunk and rash drivers and other traffic violators to the respective regional transport offices, recommending temporary suspension of licenses. The RTOs then, at the least, issue a show-cause notice to the offenders. Licences can be temporarily suspended for jumping signals, overloading goods carriages, ferrying people on goods carriages, driving or riding drunk or under the influence of drugs and using mobiles while driving.