The police department’s last year’s statistics have revealed that the City Patrol Unit (CPU) had imposed more challans under the Motor Vehicles Act on traffic rule violators than the traffic police, which is normally entrusted with the task.
The City Patrol Unit was formed in April last year to enforce traffic regulations and act as a swift response team to crack down on crimes like chain-snatching, eve-teasing and other offences in the city.
The report revealed that the CPU had imposed 76,164 challans in connection with cases of traffic violations while 51,122 were booked by the traffic police, last year.
The CPU had seized 544 vehicles in eight months since its inception while 547 were seized by the traffic police during the year. The CPU had imposed penalty of Rs79,59,300 under the MV Act on road users for traffic violations on the spot while the traffic police managed only Rs20,21,850.
The CPU had imposed 10,068 court challans under the MV Act regarding cases of traffic violations while the traffic police had imposed 17,398 court challans.
SP Traffic Pradeep Kumar Rai said that the traffic police are deputed on regulation of traffic as well as they have been directed to impose challans under the MV Act on triple and rash riding, drunken driving, over-loading, parking in no parking zone, driving two-wheelers sans helmets, vehicles bereft of number plates and the like.
The positive aspects of the CPU are being discernible now in Dehradun city with the people who used to flout traffic rules with impunity previously being forced to comply with them with swift punitive action hanging over them.
Those driving two-wheelers are now seen with helmets on, a sight which was rare previously.
While some youths have sounded appreciative of the CPU's role in bringing order in the previously chaotic traffic scenario others slam it for being too much of a stickler for rules, often indulging in excesses.
However, local shopkeepers are vociferous in demanding dismantling of the CPU for milking money out of the vulnerable. Most interestingly, the Congress and the BJP have joined hands to vent ire against the CPU for harassing and exploiting the common people.
leaders and activists of both parties have demanded the force be done away with immediately to spare the people the trouble of being forced to shell out money on trifles.