Heavy vehicles transporting reinforcing bars are a common sight on city's roads. The manner in which these steel bars, which are essential for construction of buildings, are transported poses serious threat to other road users.
To curb this menace, Delhi Traffic Police (DTP) will launch a concentrated drive against such vehicles from this weekend. As part of the drive, the vehicles carrying reinforcing steel bars (rebars), protruding out of vehicles, will be booked under the offence of dangerous driving and the vehicle will be seized.
According to the Traffic Police, the drive will be made rigorous as the city has started experiencing low visibility conditions due to haze and smog. Under such conditions, the risk to other vehicle users is amplified.
“Vehicles carrying the long steel bars will be booked. Such vehicles are usually found plying near Naraina loha Mandi, Noida link Road, Ring Road, NH-24 and Ring Road. The vehicles carrying steel bars in a dangerous manner will be booked under the offence of dangerous driving where the vehicle will be impounded,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Anil Shukla.
With the onset of low visibility conditions in Delhi, the Traffic Police have already strengthened the drive against the heavy commercial vehicles posing safety risks to other motorists. With heavy goods vehicles being involved in 15 fatal accidents in the past one-and-a-half months, Delhi Traffic Police has made it mandatory for such vehicles to observe crash protection measures. Those not complying with the orders are being impounded on a daily basis.