Transport Dept rolls out tough steps to rein in road accidents

Hyderabad: Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Wednesday stated that the Transport department has taken up an enforcement action plan and formed 33 district-level enforcement teams and three State-level flying squads that will embark on surprise checks and take action against traffic violators.

The minister chaired a meeting with senior officials of the Transport Department to intensify enforcement measures aimed at reducing road accidents across the State. The meeting was attended by Special Chief Secretary Vikas Raj, Transport Department Commissioner K Ilambarithi and Joint Transport Commissioners Ramesh, Chandrashekhar and Shivalingaiah.

Ponnam Prabhakar said that senior officials from the Transport Department will notify the respective teams at 6 am regarding the enforcement areas designated for that day, enabling them to carry out surprise inspections daily.

These enforcement teams will focus particularly on inspecting vehicle fitness, pollution compliance and issuing challans. Overloaded lorries and buses transporting sand, fly ash, stone and building materials will be fined, seized, or both. Measures will be implemented to confiscate vehicles, along with imposing additional penalties.

The minister said that each team will have a Deputy Transport Commissioner, Motor Vehicle Inspector, Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector and supporting staff. He underscored that enforcement personnel must not harass passenger auto drivers carrying passengers or farmers using tractors for agricultural purposes.

The JTC (Enforcement) will establish a State Enforcement Squad tasked with performing surprise inspections of MVI/AMVIs from various districts on a monthly schedule across the state. JTC-Hyderabad and DTCs always guarantee the presence of at least one enforcement team on the roads, including during government holidays.

Furthermore, JTCs in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Adilabad, and Sangareddy DTCs are required to develop a strategic action plan aimed at conducting inspections of inter-state Contract Carriage (CC) buses a minimum of twice each week.

Ponnam Prabhakar said that fitness vehicles that have expired, particularly heavy goods vehicles and buses, must be seized. Vehicles that are over speeding must be identified and appropriate measures should be taken. Vehicles operating without a valid fitness certificate, especially heavy and medium goods vehicles, passenger vehicles, and buses for educational institutions, must be seized. Goods vehicles that are overloaded and excessive loads should not be permitted without proper offloading.

Measures must be implemented against vehicles lacking tippers, open trolley vehicles, goods vehicles and those inadequately covered with tarpaulin to mitigate dust. Additionally, actions should be taken for unauthorised modifications such as changing seats and obstructing emergency exits.

Ponnam Prabhakar instructed officers to create widespread campaigns in the upcoming Road Safety Month. He said that the initiatives would include essay writing competitions and creative programmes for students, along with the setting up of Children’s Awareness Parks in all districts.

Following the Chevella bus accident last week, the minister reviewed the action taken against traffic violators. Over 2,576 vehicles were booked within a week, including 352 lorries and 43 buses for overloading.