No escape from camera eyes in rural areas too


THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Do you believe that those who violate traffic rules while driving in rural areas will not be caught in the camera eyes? If so, you’re wrong. The digital cameras used by the cops in the city area to nab those who violate traffic rules have been introduced in the rural areas of the district too. The cameras, which started functioning in the rural areas a few days ago, are detecting 60 to 70 violations, on an average, a day in a police station limit. Unlike the city, there are no surveillance cameras installed at traffic signals in rural areas, but the civil police officers carry the digital cameras and handycams at particular spots and take snaps of those who violate traffic rules.
 “On an average, we are registering cases against 400 to 500 persons under the jurisdiction of one DySP. Under each police station limit, at least 50 cases are charged per day. The incidence of traffic violations is more in the rural areas. As the digital cameras were introduced in the rural areas only recently, it will take at least 10 to 15 days to show results,” said Muhammed Shafi, DySP, Nedumangad.
 “We introduced the digital cameras on April 5. On an average, 90 cases are registered every day under a police station limit,” said Shaji M I, Circle Inspector, Attingal. Though the digital cameras have not been introduced as extensively as in the city areas, they have started creating awareness among the people to become more cautious about the traffic rules.
 “Though notices are yet to reach those who  violated traffic rules, the shooting with digital cameras and handycams has created a feeling that violators can be caught any time.  The civil police officers with digital cameras and handycams change spot every day. So that the violators cannot evade them,” said a civil officer under Kazhakkoottam police station limits.
 Though the police personnel in the officer rank admit that the new method is quite effective, a section among them feels that the work is an additional burden. “When we catch the traffic violators on the spot, they are fined at once. There is no further procedure. But when we nab them using cameras, we have to find out their address from the Motor Vehicles Department and the notices asking them to pay the fine have to sent to that address. These all involve heavy work,” said one of the circle inspectors now posted in a rural area of the district.
 However, the cops feel that once the violators start receiving notices, there would be a considerable reduction in the violation of traffic rules and thereby in road accidents.

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