In the wake of rise in the number of road accidents in Odisha, the State Government has laid down stringent rules for dealing with traffic violators.
According to sources, based on report of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, now if anybody is found using mobile phone while driving, his/her motor vehicle licence will be suspended for a period of at least three months.
Similar action will be taken if a person is found driving at a speed exceeding the specified limit, which would also include red light jumping.
Driving vehicle under the influence of drugs will also attract stringent punishment and the traffic police can now prosecute the offenders under section 185 of Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 even if the offence is committed for the first time.
Directions have been issued by the three-member Supreme Court Committee headed by Justice KS Radhakrishnan to State Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati. In a letter, the committee has asked the State Government to tighten the enforcement measures to reduce the number fatalities on roads.
Official statistics shows that around 3,931 persons have died, 5,667 were seriously injured and 5,420 were slightly injured in 9,648 road accidents last year.
“The total loss of property was around Rs 70 crore in the accidents. While 7,277 were arrested in 2014 for fast and careless driving, the driving licence of only one person was suspended.
This year, 2,360 were killed, 3,329 were seriously injured and 3,029 were minor injured in 5,651 road accidents that took place within past 6 months.
A total of 19,333 persons were killed in 47,424 road accidents in the past five years in the State.
While 56,000 were wounded, the total loss of property was `188 crore in the incidents. While 36,811 people were arrested for alleged fast and careless driving, the driving licences of 75 drivers were suspended in the past five years, the State Commerce and Transport Minister Ramesh Majhi stated in his reply in the Assembly recently.
According to official sources, the State Government will now take stringent action if helmet laws are violated and both main and pillion riders will be subject to road safety education and counseling for at least two hours before imposition of fine as prescribed under the act.
In the meantime the State Transport Commissioner has issued directions to all the regional transport authorities in this regard and they will initiate action against the erring drivers, who are found violating MV Act, said sources.
The Justice Radhakrishnan Committee has also asked the State Government to establish institutional arrangements to promote road safety, undertake engineering measures to make roads safe and promote road safety education. One of the recommendations of the Committee is to prepare a policy on hoardings on the roads.
Abnormal sizes of hoardings are a hazard for drivers and pedestrians as well, so accordingly encroachments on the roads are to be removed with immediate effect from August and the Committee is to be notified, said sources.
Official sources said, the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Works and the State Crime Branch will have to work in tandem to ensure safety on roads across the State.