Ashis Mehta
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 12: Road accidents and traffic violation cases in areas under the jurisdiction of the commissionerate police have increased in recent years. So have the fines collected for violation of traffic rules.
Although traffic control and patrolling remains an important operational area for the commissionerate police, accidents in areas under its jurisdiction have grown from 818 in 2008 to 949 in 2012, said the recently released CAG report. Worse, road accidents have increased despite deployment of 152 more policemen and home guards above the sanctioned strength of 371, the report said.
According to data released by the commissionerate police, around 1,00,197 traffic violation cases were reported in 2014 and a whopping amount of `1.01 crore was collected as fine from the violators. In 2013, 79,559 cases of traffic violation were reported, and `80.61 lakh was collected as fine from the violators.
In 2012, 65,269 cases of traffic violation were reported and `70.09 lakh was collected from the traffic violators. Similarly in 2011, 84,305 cases of traffic violation were reported, and `97.52 lakh was collected from the traffic violators.
Traffic officials said the entire amount of fines collected is deposited with the regional transport office (RTO) here, which then hands over the amount to the state government. The fines are collected mostly from motorists riding without helmets, those jumping traffic signals, or those driving without carrying their driving licences along.
A fine of `1,000 is imposed if a person not authorised to driving is at the wheel. A fine of `500 is imposed if a person drives without carrying his driving licence. A fine of `100 each is imposed if a motorist is not wearing a helmet or if he jumps the traffic signal.
Traffic ACP Jatin Kumar Panda, however, said that there was a shortage of manpower as new recruitments are not being done and several officials are retiring every year.