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DIMAPUR — In an attempt to curb traffic accidents in Nagaland’s commercial hub amid the surge in fatal mishaps, the Dimapur Police has imposed traffic rules, including fixing of speed limit for vehicles in city area and mandatory use of safety gears, but there seems to be not many takers.
The disregard for the rule of law was apparent on Friday, a day after the traffic rules came into effect, as many were found driving two-wheelers without wearing helmets, especially the pillion riders.
The Dimapur police had warned earlier this week that it would penalise two-wheeler riders without ISI-approved helmets or found without fastening the chin straps. They also stated that wearing of seatbelts by occupants of four-wheelers and safety belt for children below 14 years of age is mandatory.
However, a police officer on duty along the Nyamo Lotha Road told Eastern Mirror on Friday that most motorists did not obey these traffic rules.
‘The use of helmet needs to be practiced as many ride without helmets, forget about the pillion rider,’ said the police officer. He added that mandatory use of safety belt is also not being followed by almost all the drivers and passengers, while children were spotted travelling without safety belt or child restraint system.
Although signal jumping has decreased after the introduction of Improvised Traffic Control Systems (ITCS) at some intersections, the traffic police stressed the need for rigorous awareness among the two-wheeler riders on the use of helmet, and also the drivers and passengers of four-wheelers to use seatbelts for their own safety.
Meanwhile, the police have introduced wheel-clamping on vehicles parked in no-parking zones. An officer said that at least 20 violations are registered in a day for parking violation, and most of violators are two-wheelers.
Another traffic police on duty, who was busy clamping the wheel of a two-wheeler parked in a ‘No-parking zone’ on the busy GS Road, told this newspaper that many drivers are still parking their vehicles in restricted areas, forcing the traffic personnel to take action.
But at times, we let the violators go after making them understand the traffic rules and to comply with the rules in future, he said.
On shopkeepers and business owners occupying parking spaces along the busy roads such as Nyamo Lotha, Circular, MP and GS roads for the entire day, the he said, “things are improving with the introduction of parking tax. The shop owners are not taking the space for their own parking except for their two-wheelers”.
As for the speed limit fixed for the motorists, that is, 50 km/hr from Zion Hospital Junction to Chümoukedima; 50 km/hr from Chathe Bridge (Patkai/ Seithekema) towards Niuland district; and 30 km/hr within Dimapur city area, it seems to be taken care of by the traffic congestion for now.
The state’s commercial hub is witnessing an increase in traffic snarls with people from both within and outside the state thronging the thoroughfares and shopping centres to shop for the upcoming Christmas and New Year.
As the traffic congestion is likely to continue until the festive season is over, the Dimapur Traffic Police (DTP) has appealed to the drivers to obey the traffic rules.
It may be mentioned that the Dimapur Traffic Police had also warned the public that vehicles parked in 'no parking zones' would be towed away.
They went on to say that action would be taken for traffic violations including driving under influence, use of mobile phones while driving, installation of after-market devices such as, tinted glasses (with VLT of front and rear windshield being less than 70% and that of side windows being less than 50%); bull bars/ crash guards; beacon lights or red/blue LED lights and exhaust pipes, as per The Motor Vehicle Act 1988.
All vehicles, particularly two-wheelers and three-wheelers, shall observe lane while waiting at traffic stops leading to multiple lanes and avoid choking the traffic at the intersections, it said, adding that defaulters will be penalized.