Ticket to safety

Traffic violations have been a concern for Bengalureans time and again. Violations like illegal parking of vehicles and two-wheeler riders riding without helmet top the list, as identified by the  Bengaluru Traffic Police.  In  2017, maximum fines were levied for these two violations and citizens raise their concern on these issues.  

From parking on pavements to around corners of roads, parking is a nightmare in the city. While many blame it on the lack of parking spaces, others point out that the carefree attitude also contributes to chaos on the road. Driti Prasad, a second-year student at Mount Carmel College, says that she sees cars parked on both sides of Commercial Street, V V Puram and areas like Srinagar, Banashankari. "When vehicles are oddly parked on busy roads, they lead to accidents and slowing down of traffic," she says.

A stringent system to identify and fine perpetrators need to be set up, she says. "There need to be more police officials and they need to fine everyone, despite who is behind the wheels,"  says Driti.  

A customer care executive, Abishek Ananda, observes that the number of vehicles in the city is ever-increasing which means lesser parking space. "When outside, it easily takes 30 minutes to find a spot and park. This often forces people to park at No-parking zones. Citizens who violate rules should be warned and their license should be revoked for repeated offences," he says.  

Opening up public spaces like grounds on weekends is an option to more parking spaces, he points out. "Adding CCTV cameras and maintaining them well is required to watch perpetrators. Limiting the number of vehicles per family should also be looked into," he adds.

Another scary sight is two-wheeler riders travelling in the city without helmets. Sarath Chandra Mouli, a team lead in an MNC, points out that he often jibes at motorists saying  "the helmet is not for the elbows". "At the end of the day, a stricter fine system is the only way out. The fine should be increased to bigger amounts like Rs 5,000 and repeated mistakes should end in cancellation of license," he says.  

The traffic authorities vouch that they will be intensely watching the situation. Additional Commissioner of Police (traffic), R Hithendra says that most numbers of cases recorded in traffic violations were for illegal parking and riding without a helmet. "We will continue to enforce the fines. We are towing away vehicles as and when we see them parked illegally. We are trying to procure vehicles to two away heavy four and six-wheelers too," he says. He adds that a strict watch on two-wheeler motorists without helmets will continue.