dipchand bihari
post news network
Bhubaneswar, July 21: As Bhubaneswar rushes towards development on various fronts, it also appears to be regressing on certain others such as abidance with traffic regulations.
Traffic norms are aimed at bringing discipline on the roads to avoid accidents. But commuters in the city are increasingly violating the simplest rules.
Orissa POST observed traffic on some arterial roads in the city and found many were blatantly violating regulations.
Most of all, zebra crossings in the city don’t provide pedestrians with safe passage they are meant to. Few motorists care to stop their vehicles behind the designated marking on roads. Many stop vehicles right above zebra crossings or speed off before the light turns green.
While zebra crossings are aimed at giving pedestrians the right of way and priority, few actually respect its purpose. Prakash Kumar Rout, a commuter, said: “One cannot blame one individual in this case. Most drivers cross the line in the hurry to speed off as
soon as a signal opens. If the traffic policemen do not bother to prevent such violations, it is bound to continue.”
The violations are particularly troublesome at signals close to schools. The Unit-1 traffic post and Ram Mandir junction are prime examples. “Children feel insecure about crossing the road here,” Namita Samal, a teacher, said.
Traffic rules say that people who cross the line before a zebra crossing, will be fined a minimum of Rs100. However, the traffic police takes no such action.
A traffic policeman said on the condition of anonymity: “No pedestrian is interested in using zebra crossings. That also prompts drivers to cross the line. Besides, we lack the manpower to enforce laws strictly.”
Footpaths in the city, too, are becoming motorways posing danger to pedestrians. In many cases two-wheeler riders take the footpaths to skip traffic signals.
They turn a blind eye to sign boards saying violators will be fined Rs500 for riding on footpaths. The traffic police rarely if ever fines such violators.
“Many ride bikes on footpaths making them insecure for pedestrians. At Jaydev Vihar I have seen the police conducting checks once a week or once a fortnight. But violators go scot-free the rest of the time,” Monaj Nayak, a shopkeeper, said.
One other blatant violation concerns personal safety. The ‘No helmets; No petrol’ rule recently implemented is not being followed in most cases. Police are also not holding checks at petrol pumps in the city. Many petrol pumps have also not prominently displayed the board ‘No helmet; No petrol’. “Many riders give excuses and request for fuel. We often have to relent considering the rush,” an employee at a petrol station said.
Drivers not wearing helmets are also not stopped or punished. Some traffic policemen said they were regularly imposing fines on zebra crossing rules violators and even detaining some. We have been doing our best to discipline motorists but people themselves must support such initiatives for them to succeed.
