By ROQUE DIAS | NT
MARGAO: Speeding motorists, when they see an interceptor vehicle of the police on any of the roads in South Goa, they hardly care and zoom past at the same speed. Reason, the two interceptor vehicles allotted for South Goa are in a state wherein its surveillance equipment are not functioning.
Such a vehicle is equipped with a video camera to record images and speed of a vehicle. The government had procured four interceptors in 2002 with an aim to monitor, control and bring about discipline among traffic rule violators, mostly to curb instances of overspeeding.
Of the four, two were allotted for South Goa – one for transport department and the other for traffic cell.
According to sources, in a year one interceptor would book around 2500 cases of overspeeding and this was also helping the department with the revenue that came in from the fines.
However, the present state of affairs of the interceptors is that both vehicles are existing with its equipment in a non-functional state. The interceptor provided to the transport department, South has been in such a state for the last couple of years whereas the one allocated for the traffic cell has its equipment rendered non-functional for the last four months.
Sources informed that the interceptor of the south transport department has its radar not functioning for a long time and due to its long neglect it has become redundant. It is said that if it is repaired its cost would exceed the cost of a new one. The whole vehicle is said to be in a bad condition. While the radar of the interceptor of the traffic cell has developed a technical problem.
“The authorities should have maintained the vehicles and kept the equipment in a proper condition. They are meant for such a good purpose. Given the rise in accident cases, these vehicles are needed to curb instances of overspeeding as innocent people become victims of rash driving on the roads. I appeal to the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who holds the transport portfolio, to see that the equipment of the two vehicles are restored,” said Mayesh Naik, a resident of Margao.
Another citizen, Vivek Naik said that with modernisation, such surveillance systems are the need of the hour. “We see mostly youngsters zooming on their two-wheelers at high speeds. Such fearless acts on the roads are a deathtrap for innocent people. Interceptors are needed to keep a watch on speedsters and book them. The government should at least have four-five interceptors, given the cases of road deaths in Goa,” he said.
When asked, south Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), traffic, Probhodh Shirwaikar said that “we have informed our superiors about it. The interceptor equipment has not been functioning for the last few months. Hence, it has hampered are our drive against overspeeding.” He however said that other cases of traffic violations are being booked.