VISAKHAPATNAM : IF everything goes well, the officials of Road Transport Authority would make use of handheld speed guns to rein in the speedsters and rash drivers. With the traffic interceptors yielding no good results, the Transport Department is procuring handheld speed guns for use in three major cities in the state by year-end.
Expressing displeasure over the working of interceptors to check rash driving, AP Transport Commissioner N Bala Subrahmanyam said that it’s better to make use of technology and bring handheld speed guns, which are more effective.
“The interceptors have come a cropper. The traffic personnel focus on speeding vehiclesand click images. We are not able to cover more vehicles. But in case of a handheld speed gun, it makes the job easier,” said Subrahmanyam.
According to the Transport Commissioner, the handheld speed guns do not need any special vehicle, parking place or training. It’s just like using a camera, that too in hand without any need of stand for interceptor and can be clicked as fast as he can, he said.
Balasubrahmanyam also added that the government was in the process of procuring the handheld speed guns and most likely it would be implemented in three major cities including Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.
“I have visited Australia several times and saw how the handheld speed guns work. Moreover, it is also cheaper. These guns would work effectively in the state,” said Bala Subrahmanyam.
The Visakahapatnam RTA has only one interceptor at present, but it has not been in use for long owing to technical snags. Generally, the Visakhapatnam traffic police take the interceptor to the Zoo park, airport premises and impose fines. A senior traffic inspector said, “When motorists notice the vehicles from a distance, they slow down. Moreover, it is not possible to deploy daily three or four police officers or even the motor vehicle inspectors.” He added that since any officer can stand somewhere at some junction and simply click, there is no chance for erring drivers to escape.