KOZHIKODE: The rising number of road accidents and deaths in the city is still not proving to be an eye-opener to the public, who do not hesitate to violate the 24-hour one-way rule in place along several stretches. The major accident spots - Bank Road Junction, MCC Bank Junction and Kallayi Road - are witnessing one-way violations on a regular basis from 8 pm to 6 am.
Traffic authorities say that with their limited resources, it is impossible to keep a check on the key spots after 9 pm and that service will be provided in case of emergencies, on intimating the Traffic Control Room.
There were 3,386 cases of one-way traffic violation in the city limits in 2014 and this year, till August, the figure is 2,756. The maximum number of accidents take place in the city limits from 8 pm to 10 pm - 113 in 2014 and 81 in 2015 (until August), according to the data available from the Traffic Directorate. “It is not possible to station police officials at every point during night to check if the travellers are violating the one-way rule, considering our limited resources. Sign boards are placed everywhere and it is mainly the bike riders who are violating the rules and they are mainly youngsters. The number of accidents during late night is very few because the number of bikers on the roads is less,” says Traffic North Zone SP V K Akbar.
“There is very little that awareness programmes can do to check this situation. It is not out of ignorance that people are violating rules, but out of sheer negligence. They know that it is wrong, but still they are committing the violation. All that we can do is to charge a particular amount of fine and let off the driver. The next day, the violation is again repeated. In the case of youngsters, the parents are to be blamed. When you inspect the higher secondary schools, many Plus-One and Plus-Two students are coming to schools on two-wheelers. How do they get the vehicles? When they are fined, the parents are ready to pay the fine,” he adds.
Other Traffic officials also say that the majority of the people violating the one-way traffic rule and getting fined are youngsters.
However, many among the local people say that it is okay to violate the rule after 8 pm.
‘Warning’ Protest
Protesting against the Traffic Police Department charging fines from those violating the one-way rule, a group of 10 youngsters from Kozhikode and Malappuram has launched a unique campaign. The youngsters take turns to hold placards at important junctions where one-way is violated and ensure that at the start of the road itself, they inform the violator of the ‘danger’ ahead.
“Police stand somewhere in the middle of the road, just to charge the violator. Their intention is not to prevent violation of the rule, but to charge fines. This attitude must change. Many people may not be knowing that there is a 24-hour one-way traffic rule in place. During night, it is difficult to notice the sign boards. So, it is our duty to inform them,” says Shabin Muhammed, one of the campaigners. They find time after their work to spread awareness on the issue in the city.