Few get stick for traffic violations
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The 15 CCTV cameras installed on the 35-km stretch of the national highway from Vytilla to Cherthala captures more than 3,000 traffic violations daily. But a severe staff crunch in the motor vehicles department sees a mere 300 notices being sent out.
The offences include over-speeding, using mobile phones while driving and jumping signals.
The highest number of offences is at Vytilla junction in the city where five cameras have been installed. “Often, it is vehicles from Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka that are found to be over-speeding. In most cases the speed is more than 150 km per hour,” said a senior motor vehicles department (MVD) official.
At present only three motor vehicles inspectors have been assigned to send the notice to the offenders. And they cannot send out more than 300 notices daily, staff at the MVD says.
The department’s main zonal office at Kakkanad has a mere 22 staff against the required strength of 60. The sub-offices at Tripunithura, Mattan-cherry, Aluva, Angamaly and Paravoor are functioning with four each.
But this will not deter the department from going ahead with its installation of cameras in the second phase which would be extended to Mannuthy in the north.
“The offences in the area have come down. Besides the cameras, the department also deputes mobile enforcement squad on the Vyttila-Cherthala stretch. We also propose to add more staff to the technical team,” said Ernakulam deputy transport commissioner A. Sainudeen.
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