If good road behaviour will become a casualty in the crackdown on corruption, here’s a bit of news for you.Motorists and two-wheeler riders will no longer be fined on Sardar Patel Ring Road. The traffic department’s move follows the decision to remove 240 Traffic Road Brigade (TRB) Jawans from about 15 major traffic junctions on the 35 km stretch of SP Ring Road following several complaints of corruption.
Those coming from Ahmedabad airport and going towards residential areas like Bopal often take this route.
Recently, there were complaints about TRB jawans and other traffic personnel collecting undue fines from heavy vehicles plying on SP Ring Road.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Mayanksinh Chavda said several TRB jawans used to indulge in corrupt practices on this particular stretch. “We will not provide traffic memo books or POS (Point of Sale) machines to the traffic police personnel who will replace TRB jawans on the stretch.
Hence, there is no question of collecting spot fines. We hope this comes as a respite for commuters on SP Ring Road,” Chavda said.
Asked if not penalising those who violate traffic norms could lead to chaos on the roads, JCP Chavda said their focus at present was to regulate traffic and not collect fines. However Chavda added, “In case of major incidents of traffic norm violations on SP Ring Road, the traffic police personnel will call up the beat traffic police or the concerned police station. They will take the offender to the police station and initiate action as required.
This will eradicate corruption in spot-fine collection which is rampant on SP Ring Road.”
The traffic police personnel will be deployed on a rotation-basis on the stretch. “The team deployed will only stay at one particular point for eight days and get replaced by another team. This is being done so the cops do not get familiar with traffic conditions or indulge in corruption,” said Chavda.
The TRB jawans will only be recruited for a period of three years, he added. “After the three-year term, new TRB jawans will be recruited,” JCP Chavda said. These jawans are paid Rs 300 per day for their services. The city traffic department has decided to involve citizens too in traffic management. “Senior journalists, advocates, local society members, politicians and eminent citizens will be invited for their suggestions on traffic management in their areas and these will be implemented. The programme has already started,” Chavda said.