Cops to introduce stringent measures to discipline drivers on Maa flyover

The city police will introduce a slew of measures, including immediate prosecution to discipline drivers on Maa flyover.

Rajeev Kumar, Commissioner of Police said at Nabanna that more CCTV cameras would be installed on the flyover to spot vehicles that flout the rules. Also, the police will slap instant fines on the offenders to discipline them. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed city police to enforce traffic laws strictly as a part of the 'Safe Drive Save Live' mission.

Speed reflecting cameras will spot the vehicles that have flouted the speed limit and a fine of Rs 100 will be slapped initially and a letter asking the owner of the vehicle to deposit the fine will be sent his/her postal address. If a vehicle is found violating the speed limit on the Maa flyover too frequently, the owner will be cautioned. The police are working on the measures that will be taken to discipline the habitual offenders.

The police have stopped motorbike riding on Maa, Park Street and AJC Bose Road flyovers from 10 pm to 6 am to curb road accidents. It may be recalled that late night racing of superbikes had become a craze in the city. As a result, six youth had been killed in separate accidents on the flyover shortly after it was inaugurated in October 2015.

A senior police officer said that CCTVs had been installed on the flyover and the drivers were cautioned the moment they were found to be violating the stipulated speed. Both commercial and owner drivers have a tendency to drive vehicles at a breakneck speed.

The officer said that the drivers of SUVs fitted with 2.5 litre engines and above tend to over-speed and it had become difficult to control them. Though overtaking is not allowed on Maa flyover, they do it deliberately and even at the sharp angular turn at Science City, they do not slow down. He said that if proper speed was maintained, drivers would take only four and a half minute to 5minites on an average to reach EM bypass from AJC Bose Road, covering a distance of 9 km. Maa flyover is the longest flyover in the state. He also said that there was a proposal to deploy traffic sergeants who will patrol on the flyover to prevent accidents due to high speed.