NT NETWORK
PANAJI
In view of the rising fatal accidents on Goan roads due to overspeeding, the department of transport has given a proposal to the government as regards purchase of new interceptor vehicles as well as cameras and laser/radar guns.
Coming out with this information, transport director Nikhil Desai on Friday said officials of the transport department are currently in discussion with the government as regards controlling movement of high speed vehicles on the Goan roads.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had recently appealed to the parents not to provide high CC bikes, especially those with engine power over 250cc, to their children unless they infuse in themselves a sense of responsibility and traffic sense.
Parrikar had also maintained that he was presently carrying out an exercise on the comprehensive state mobility plan. The purchase of these speed detection gadgets is expected to be part of this plan.
Desai said the purchase on new interceptor vehicles as well as cameras and laser/radar guns would take certain time, as the department will have to follow the exercise of tendering for the purpose.
Admitting that today, in the face of shortage of these gadgets, the police cannot book speed violators, Desai stated that no police officer can just presume the speed of a moving vehicle with the help of his vision, and if he does so then the violator could challenge it in the court of law.
“However, once these gadgets are in possession of the department, they would be providing the speed, the number of registration plate of the speeding vehicle and other details, which would form solid evidence against the violator,” he noted.
The new motor vehicles amendment bill 2016 recently passed by the Lok Sabha proposes a fine of Rs 5,000 for speeding/racing, instead of the old penalty of Rs 500 for the particular traffic violation. Furthermore, as per the new legislation, those drivers of light motor vehicles booked for overspeeding will have to pay a fine of Rs 1,000 instead of Rs 400, and the erring drivers of medium passenger vehicles will have to pay a penalty of Rs 2,000 instead of Rs 400.
The transport director also maintained that his department has already identified various stretches around the state, including open and clear highways, where overspeeding by vehicles, especially bikes, is generally observed.
“We will place the interceptor vehicles mounted with all kinds of modern speed detection gadgets, along these stretches to control over speeding of vehicles,” he said.
Ironically, the police are presently using more than a decade old interceptor vehicles, which have outlived their utility.