Those found violating traffic rules will now not just be fined but will also be made to regulate the city traffic.
The traffic norm violators will be given a jacket with the words ‘traffic violator’ written on it, and they would have to wear it and regulate the traffic for at least two hours.
A notification regarding the same has been issued by the state transport department and the new system will be implemented from Monday, as the road safety week commences.
Joint transport commissioner Ravi Shankar Vidyarthi said, “The system will be implemented across the state and while it is being started during the road safety week, it will continue even after the week is over.”
He added, “Now a person who is found to be violating the traffic norms in any way will first be counselled for an hour where he will be informed about the traffic rules and then will be made to regulate the traffic at a particular post under the guidance of traffic police like the DSP or other officers.”
This apart, a number of other programmes will be organized under the 30th road safety week to be organized across the state from February 4 to 10.
The programmes will include Nukkad Natak, mall activities, quizzes at public places, helmet wearing campaigns and a huge school level programme under which various activities will be organised for the school students in almost every school of the State.
Vidyarthi said, “The major attraction of the programme would be a state wide safety marathon on the February 9, which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Raghubar Das in Ranchi. The safety marathon would begin at Sainik Market and end at Morhabadi in the State Capital.”
With the high number of road accidents being reported in the State, there is a dire need to organise the road safety week and make people aware of the traffic rules. The data of Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MORTH) shows that in 2017, Jharkhand was among the top five states in the country to record highest number of road accident fatalities, the other States being Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
A total of 5198 accidents were recorded in Jharkhand in the year 2017 in which 3256 persons lost their lives. Of the total accidents, 4204, which is more than 80%, were caused due to traffic norms violation.
Meanwhile, talking about the new initiative of making the rule violators regulate traffic, Rishabh Anand, a social activist working on road safety in the city for over four years said, “This is way better than imposing fine. This will lead to the traffic rule violator feel humiliated for breaking the law. Also, when he will have to spend three hours of his time in traffic duty and counselling he will automatically not repeat his mistake.”