Bidhannagar Police holds awareness event for pool car drivers & owners

Kolkata: Bidhannagar Police arranged an awareness and sensitisation programme on Sunday for drivers and owners of pool cars, along with school authorities and bus drivers to ensure safety and security of the students who are availing them.

According to Deputy Commissioner (DC), Traffic, Dhritiman Sarkar, around 350 drivers attended the sensitisation programme. During the workshop, police instructed the drivers to follow the traffic rules accordingly.

The drivers have been specifically told not to drive beyond the speed limit mentioned on the signage boards, which are installed on both sides of the roads.

During the programme, instance of the Polba pool car accident was mentioned and drivers were alerted about the consequences of over-speeding and rash driving.

Owners of the pool cars have been instructed to keep their vehicles fit for plying, as mentioned in the Certificate of Fitness (CF). Police also instructed them to paste the CF on the windscreen, where it can be seen clearly.

This apart, pool car owners and school authorities have been asked to ascertain the mental and physical

health of a person before engaging him as a driver. Pool car and school bus drivers have also been instructed not to drive without having sufficient rest.

Sources informed that Bidhannagar Police has already started checking the school buses. Sarkar informed that a few days later the checking of pool cars will start as well. It has also been advised to keep a list of name and mobile number of students and their guardians properly displayed inside the vehicles.

Police officials also told the school authorities to conduct periodical check up of the vehicles which are being managed by them.

In addition to that, they have been asked to prepare

a list of pool cars which are being used to carry their students.

"We have also asked the owners not to use any vehicle bearing private registration number and carry students more than the seating capacity mentioned in the Registration Certificate (RC). In a few days, we will start checking the pool cars. If found violating any norms, legal action will follow," Sarkar added.