BANGALORE: Riding vehicles on footpaths that is normally meant for the pedestrians, has cost the driving licence of more than one thousand two-wheeler riders in the city. The Bangalore Traffic Police, to instill a sense of discipline have recommended for impounding the licences of more than 1,000 persons for riding their twowheelers on footpaths.
With the number of vehicles crossing 40 lakh mark in the city, it has virtually become a ‘difficult’ task for the traffic cops to manage the traffic in the city.
The two-wheeler riders who seem to be in a hurry to reach their destinations use footpaths as roads to avoid either the traffic jam or other vehicles.
In the process, they cause injury to people who walk on footpaths.
In order to check the continuing indiscipline, the traffic police have started booking cases against the offenders mercilessly.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic & Internal Security) M A Saleem told City Express, “According to an estimate, nearly 45 per cent of persons who have died in road mishaps are pedestrians. This is not a good sign as footpaths are certainly not for vehicles.” Most of the offenders are youngsters who ride on the footpaths to cross the busy roads early.
The BTP have launched a special drive against offenders and have already booked over 1,000 cases. Besides, they have recommended to the Regional Transport Authority to cancel driving licences. With the footpaths already shrinking to the maximum, thanks to frequent widening of roads to accommodate the ever growing vehicles, the plight of the citizens is miserable.
It is the responsibility of the police department to ensure a safe passage for the pedestrains. “I have seen the youths happily jumping on footpaths on their two-wheelers without bothering about pedestrians.
Such offenders are booked on the spot and recommended to the RTA to impound licence. This happens during peak hours when traffic will be dense across the city. We will not spare such riders without punishing them as per law”, Dr Saleem noted.