225 government vehicles break traffic rules in just 6 hours

AHMEDABAD: Ahmedabad Traffic Police seems to be fining traffic offenders as per its convenience. How else does one explain that out of the 1.45 lakh fine memos issued since October 2015, with the help of City Surveillance and Intelligent Traffic Monitoring System, only 150 memos have been issued to government vehicles — a measly 0.1 per cent. This, despite the assurance by city traffic officials that the new system would act against and fine all offenders irrespective of whether they were driving government vehicles or a private ones. The department had introduced the new system with much enthusiasm. Around 300 cameras were installed at 69 different locations in the city.

CCTV cameras captured images of traffic offenders and sent these along with the memos to them after procuring their details from RTO records. The offenders were fined for 11 offences ranging from not wearing a helmet to jumping a signal to driving on the wrong side. Asked how was it possible that only 0.1 per cent government vehicles were issued challans as compared to 99.9 per cent private vehicles, S D Dhobi, Police Sub-Inspector and Incharge CCTV Control Room, Police Commissioner's office had this to say: "We have around 1.45 lakh government vehicles and those issued challans come to around 150.

We fine both government and private vehicles found to be violating traffic rules." Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Subhash Trivedi said, "After monitoring what's recorded on surveillance cameras, we send echallans to traffic offenders, irrespective of whether they were driving private vehicles or government vehicles." Not convinced with the reply, Mirror picked nine of the busiest traffic junctions in the city and decided to conduct a check on Tuesday and Wednesday. Mirror correspondents stood at these crossroads and recorded the traffic offences. In a matter of a few hours, not less than 200 government vehicles were found violating traffic rules and these were also recorded by CCTV cameras.

BATA CROSSROAD
TIME: 5 PM TO 5.20 PM
In all, 35 vehicles were found violating traffic rules here. These included several vehicles of the central government departments like Income Tax and police vehicles, too. In most cases, the drivers were not wearing seatbelts

SHYAMAL CROSSROADS
TIME: 9.30 AM TO 9.55 AM
AROUND 12 government vehicles on this route violated traffic rules including four police vehicles, the drivers of which not wearing their seat belts. One AMTS bus driver was talking on the phone while driving and a GSRTC bus jumped the red light on Wednesday.

PRAHLADNAGAR CROSSOADS
TIME: 10.05 AM TO 10.30 AM
SINCE it connects to S G Highway, there was massive flow of traffic here. Several vehicle drivers of government vehicles coming from Saurashtra were without seatbelts. Even drivers of forest department's vehicles had not put their seatbelts on. One of the vehicles had tinted windshield, which is not allowed by the RTO. In all 20 government vehicles on this route were found violating norms.

PAKWAN CROSSROADS
TIME: 10.45 AM TILL 11.30 AM
DRIVERS of IPS officers' vehicles going towards Gandhinagar had their seatbelts on. However, drivers of four local police vehicles and a 108 ambulance were not wearing the seatbelts. In all, 30 government vehicles were found violating traffic rules here.

DOORDARSHAN TOWER CROSSROAD
TIME: 11.45 AM TO 12.15 PM
DRIVERS of two police vehicles and an AMTS bus driver were without seatbelts. In all, 20 vehicles violated traffic rules in 30 minutes on Wednesday.

PALDI CROSSROADS
TIME: 12.30 PM TO 1 PM (WEDNESDAY)
IN HALF an hour, 10 government vehicles were spotted violating a range of traffic rules - including driving on the zebra crossing when the lights were red. Besides, private vehicles were moving around inside AMTS bus station, which is clearly not allowed.

COLLECTOR'S OFFICE
TIME: 9.55 AM TO 11.16 AM
THE DRIVER of a vehicle belonging to the Collector's office was found driving on the wrong side of the road while a mamlatdar office driver was without his seatbelt. The driver of a government blood bank vehicle was seen talking over the mobile phone while driving. In all 50, government vehicles were found violating traffic rules.

RTO CIRCLE
TIME: 11.23 AM TO 11.34 AM
IN ALL 25 government vehicles were seen breaking traffic regulations including the driver of a 108 ambulance who did not have his seatbelt on.

INCOME-TAX CIRCLE AND OLD HIGH COURT
TIME: NOON TO 12.38 PM
SEVERAL government vehicles threw caution to the wind and blatantly violated rules. The drivers of a police mobile van and a 108 ambulance were without seatbelts. In all, around 25 vehicles were found violating traffic rules.