Police step up vigil to reduce accidents in Tirunelveli

Tirunelveli: A total of 32 lives have been lost in accidents in Tirunelveli from January to June, according to statistics available with the crime records bureau. Though this is less than the 38 deaths recorded during the same period last year, the city police is sparing no effort in bringing down the number.

As part of this, police have stepped up vigil and are carrying out measures to make the roads accident-free.

This has started yielding results despite resistance by some violators.

Deputy commissioner of police for law and order, Tirunelveli City, A Saravanan said that one of the key aspects on which they have started working is avoiding footboard travel by school and college students during the peak hours. Fifty police personnel are deployed during the mornings and evenings at important bus stops.

Students who are found travelling footboard are warned and asked to either get in or deboard.

“Some students pickup arguments with the police personnel, citing inadequate buses from their locality to their institutions. We are studying such routes and based on the student movement we will be making a recommendation to the transport department to study the possibility of operating more buses during peak hours,” Saravanan said.

He also said they are also studying bus stops that can be converted into bays, so that commuters can safely and easily board and get down from the vehicles. It will also avoid incidents of overspeeding.

Meanwhile, police booked 941 helmet violation cases and 1,172 cases of overspeeding and racing during a two-day drive on Wednesday and Thursday. “Pockets where students and youth are engaged in racing have also been identified. Apart from booking overspeeding cases, they will also be booked under sections for causing threat to the safety of others,” he said.

Saravanan said that measures such as cancellation of licence and impounding vehicles will also be taken.