Tension prevailed at Rajmahal Square in Bhubaneswar on Sunday during checking of vehicles as part of implementation of the amended Motor Vehicles Act as a woman created a scene after violating traffic rules.
The woman was driving a two-wheeler on the wrong side at Rajmahal Square, for which a police officer seized her vehicle and initiated procedure to take it to police station.
But the woman opposed the move of the officer saying that necessary signage was not installed on the road. Passersby soon gathered at the spot as the ruckus escalated. But in the end, she had to cough up a fine of Rs 5,000 as the police didn’t flinch from their stand.
In Baleswar, there was panic among the commuters due to different reasons as the enforcement drive against rule violators began. Several applicants are yet to get valid documents for some reason or other.
Hundreds of applicants, who have applied for driving licenses with the RTO, are yet to get their documents. As many as 18,000 applicants were not able to get their licences although they have complied with the required procedures.
Not only the learners licences, the RTO failed to issue driving licences and renewal licenses due to the huge rush. Sources said that till February 25, while 30,493 applications were received by the RTO yet till now 10,404 licences have been issued and 726 applicants have failed in the driving test.
From Saturday, the joint teams including staffs of the traffic police station and RTOs began checking at different prominent squares. They were seen informing the riders about the regulations and penalty amount in case of flouting of rules.
Although enforcement began from the day, yet the infrastructure except manpower for regulating and managing traffic is inadequate. The traffic signal lights which are lying defunct for years were not rectified nor the traffic marking are in place, pointed out several residents.
Traffic police station OIC Prasant Ransing said, “It is decided that we will be lenient towards the riders and drivers who couldn’t get documents from the offices although applied. The vigil will be fucussed more on the young mass who indulge in rash driving and minor riders.”