HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has rolled out a comprehensive road safety action plan aimed at curbing accidents, enforcing load limits, and cracking down on unfit and illegally modified vehicles.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, who chaired a review meeting with officials on Wednesday following the recent fatal accident near Chevella, said strict enforcement measures were being put in place. He announced the formation of 33 district-level teams and three state-level flying squads across Telangana to implement the action plan.
Each enforcement team will receive 6 am directives from senior transport officials, designating surprise check zones to target overloaded trucks, buses, and vehicles carrying minerals like sand, fly ash, and construction materials. Checks will also cover vehicles with pending challans or expired fitness certificates, with violators facing penalties and seizure.
Teams will comprise DTCs, MVIs, AMVIs and staff from abolished check posts. Officials were instructed not to harass auto-rickshaw drivers or farm tractors. A Joint Transport Commissioner–Enforcement Squad with rotating district officers will conduct surprise checks statewide.
JTC-Hyderabad and DTCs must ensure one active team round-the-clock, while DTCs in key districts will inspect interstate contract carriage buses twice a week. Vehicles with expired fitness certificates, overloaded or over-speeding vehicles will face strict action.
Passenger and school buses without valid certificates will be seized, while private travel buses with unauthorised modifications, such as altered seats or blocked emergency exits, will attract penalties.