Cautionary note for tipplers and guzzlers in the State—keep off the steering! And rather opt for rear seat when driving from a soaking- intoxicating merriment spree.
The Jharkhand Police has acquired a score of breath analyzers to drive wedge between the lethal combination of drinking and driving. Ranchi Traffic Police gets six of them while the industrial towns get two each. If caught driving under the influence of driving above the permissible limit, one can be fined up to Rs 2,000. In case of penalty not paid, the violator’s vehicle can be seized and in grievous cases, the driver can face imprisonment for a period of six months to two years. Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Traffic SP, Ranchi informed that traffic cops equipped with breath analyzers henceforth would check impromptu at static locations.
Under the Police Modernization Scheme of the State Government, Jharkhand Police has acquired a slew of modern gizmos to enhance the efficacy and morale of traffic police in the state. Other equipments provided include retro-reflective sign, raised pavement marker, spring posts, flexible spring posts, power mega phones, sliding barriers and 3m fixed vertical retro-reflectors for efficient traffic regulation. In a bid to rein in traffic violators, wheel locks, 35 each for Ranchi and Jamshedpur and 13 each for major towns would enable the cops to lock the vehicles parked in non-parking areas making it easy for such truant practices to be penalised. Further intensifying the law enforcement measures on traffic violators, four more cranes are likely to be delivered to Ranchi Traffic Police by the Urban Development Dept. to lift away these vehicles.
With an attempt to amplify the disciplining prowess of traffic marshalls, they, besides being rightly equipped are being smartly attired too. Hand gloves, oxygen masks, fluorescent jackets, white helmets and fluorescent stick lights have been procured in sufficient quantities to be used when on duty.
Traffic SP Ranchi was all excited about the prudent steps taken and future plans charted out for streamlining vehicular mobility at bottle necks in Ranchi. The difference is palpable as was his optimism while admitting to successfully controlling the perpetual jams on NH-33 entrance points from Kantatoli extending to Booty More. Vehicles were holed up frequently for more than 20 minutes on this route. “Nearly 500 busses ply en route from Jamshedpur to Patna and vice-versa. We observed that buses while making entry and exit, plied twice into and out of Kantatoli through Booty More. We diverted the buses through Khel Gaon, making two different entry and exit routes that made the drivers cover an extra 10 kms. Initial resistance by bus owners was dealt with firmly. Soon they fell in line and so did the movement of traffic in this area”, narrated Rajiv Ranjan.
Buses and pick-up vans parked on road side conducting daily business are major contributors to traffic congestion on New Market Chowk. Though a herculean task, they have been shifted to ITI forcibly, thus easing out road space and therefore congestion. According to a new order, only oil tankers for refuelling 22 petrol pumps in Ranchi City have been allowed into the city at peak hours. The rest, nearly 500 in number, have been diverted through Ring Road. Their unnecessary entry in town is prohibited.
In Ranchi city, unbridled entry of unauthorised tempos, dearth of parking zones and proper pick up stands for city buses are the nagging menace causing traffic snarls. Data reveals only 2335 tempos possess permit while nearly 6000 tempos ply without permit. Only three tempo- stands aggravate the jams with roads used as parking havens. A concerted effort by RTO, DTO and the traffic police cracking whip on illegal tempos would offer a safety valve to the perpetual traffic woes in Ranchi. The above three dept. are gearing up to restrict the entry of surplus tempos with permits issued only for plying outside the city. Traffic SP Ranchi concedes that RMC should develop more parking zones on key arterial roads. Frontal space of Big Bazaar and Blackberry Showroom and vacant space adjacent to Hanuman Mandir are potential parking zones as the lands are owned by RMC.
Hawker encroachment problems from Daily Market to Shahid Chowk persisted until a fortnight ago. Their space was demarcated with symbolic delineator confining their merchandizing area all the while expanding road space.
It is estimated that nearly 12 lakh commuters and vehicles ply on Ranchi roads every day. Maintaining their smooth flow would indeed be a daunting task once when hordes of buses of educational institutes deluge the narrow city roads after the summer holidays.