Telangana forms 36 teams to tighten road safety enforcement
HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has drawn up a comprehensive enforcement plan to ensure continuous monitoring of vehicle rule violations and curb road accidents, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said on Tuesday.
At a review meeting with senior Transport Department officials at the Secretariat, Prabhakar said 33 enforcement teams at the district level and three flying squads at the state level have been formed. Each team will receive its daily enforcement schedule from senior officers by 6 a.m.
These squads will conduct surprise checks on overloaded lorries and buses, particularly those carrying sand, fly ash, stone, and building materials. Inspections will also focus on vehicle fitness, pollution certificates, and pending challans. In addition to penalties, unfit and overloaded vehicles will be seized, the minister said.
Each team will comprise a Deputy Transport Commissioner (DTC), Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI), Assistant MVI, and supporting staff. Personnel who earlier worked at closed check-posts have been redeployed to enforcement duties. Prabhakar instructed that teams should not harass auto drivers or farmers using tractors for agriculture.
New road safety directives
According to new enforcement guidelines, the Joint Transport Commissioner (Enforcement) will rotate MVIs and AMVIs from districts for statewide inspections. A minimum of one enforcement team must be on the road at all times, including on holidays.
Regional DTCs in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar, Adilabad, and Sangareddy have been told to conduct interstate contract carriage (CC) bus checks twice a week.
Officials have been ordered to seize all unfit or expired-fitness vehicles, particularly heavy goods carriers, passenger buses, and school vehicles. Over-speeding and overloading violations will attract strict penalties, and excess load must be offloaded on the spot. The Mining Department will also be notified about overloaded vehicles.
Further, tippers and open-tray goods vehicles must be covered with tarpaulin to prevent dust pollution. Illegal seat modifications or blocked emergency exits in contract carriages will invite action.
2,576 vehicles booked in one week
Following last week’s Chevella bus accident, the minister reviewed action taken on violations. Over 2,576 vehicles were booked in one week, including 352 lorries and 43 buses for overloading.
He directed officials to expedite the establishment of automated testing stations and to train staff in batches of 30. To promote employment for women, the minister said the department was open to issuing permits for women auto drivers.
Prabhakar also instructed officials to conduct widespread awareness programmes during the upcoming Road Safety Month, including essay competitions and innovative activities for students. Each district will set up a Children’s Awareness Park, and awareness will be created on the Centre’s cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims.
The meeting was attended by Special Chief Secretary Vikas Raj, Transport Commissioner Ilambarthi, and Joint Transport Commissioners Ramesh, Chandrasekhar and Shivalingayya.
