OSAP to be deployed for traffic control
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government has decided to deploy police personnel from Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP) in various districts for traffic control till completion of recruitment of traffic police.
Although 500 posts of traffic police have been created by the Home department, it will take a few months time till the recruitment and training process is completed.
Sources said Odisha police has agreed to deploy personnel from the OSAP by end of next month for highway patrolling and traffic control as part of a temporary arrangement. Along with the transport staff, they will man the vulnerable roads and control traffic.
As several stretches of national and state highways have turned into death traps leading to significant rise in road fatalities, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy had directed the DGP and the Transport department to initiate traffic control measures and stringent enforcement.
It has also been decided to conduct independent third-party audit of vulnerable road segments. The authorities will put physical traffic calming measures in addition to signages and rumbler strips on all vulnerable road segments including junctions on NHs and SHs.
A Transport department official said there will be a joint inspection of fatal accident spots after each and every accident. “Joint inspection of spots is highly important to find out the cause of occurrence of accidents. The Collectors will ensure the joint inspection and every day the report will come to the Transport Commissioner. The lead agency in the office of Transport Commissioner will monitor it and submit a monthly report to the Government,” he said.
Lane driving on Bhubaneswar-Cuttack road soon
The Commissionerate Police has proposed to introduce lane driving on Bhubaneswar-Cuttack stretch on pilot basis in a bid to reduce travel time, increase discipline among the road users and ensure safety. The NHAI has been asked to put signages in gantries in every five-km stretch displaying speed limit for each lane. Once the signages are put as per the proposal of the city police within one month, the lane driving will begin from the new year.