SunstarTV Bureau: The State Commerce and Transport Department approved a proposal by the Commissionerate Police to authorize the graduate constables to impose fines under the new Motor Vehicles (MV) Act in Twin City Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to prosecute the traffic violators.
“Though road safety is one of the priorities of the State Government, the drive cannot be enforced strictly due to shortage of officers, who are empowered to issue challans under the MV Act. The new order would help the Commissionerate Police to implement the traffic rules in strict manner in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack cities,” a source in the Commissionerate Police said.
This system will be functional as a pilot project only in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack cities for one year.
With the new order, the Commissionerate Police can intensify the crackdowns against traffic violators for strict enforcement of road safety regulations in Twin City.
Currently, officers in the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) or above were empowered to impose fines under the MV Act in Odisha.
Recently, the Commissionerate Police had requested the State Government to empower its traffic constables to prosecute the traffic violators in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
According to reports, there are 27 traffic officers and 402 constables in Twin City. Even as the the graduate constables are authorised to enforce the traffic rules, they do not have power to issue challans for traffic violations for which commuters breaching the rules usually misbehave with them. The enforcement of the approval said to be followed from April 1.
