Traffic wings of city police have poor coordination

By S. Shivakumar

CHENNAI, AUG. 8. A resident of T.Nagar received a police notice directing him to pay a fine amount for a traffic violation allegedly committed by him in April, though he had lost his two- wheeler 10 months ago.

The police notice claims that the two-wheeler (TN 07 J 0097) had violated traffic rules on Basin Bridge and has directed the vehicle owner to pay the fine amount. The vehicle-owner has written to the police to take steps for recovering his stolen two-wheeler which was apparently moving in the city.

The incident has exposed the poor coordination between the crime and traffic wings of the city police which have no sound information-sharing mechanism. Moreover, only a couple of months ago, the city traffic police, in a much publicised move, introduced a `vehicle tracking system' (VTS).

Officials had claimed that the VTS was a fool-proof system and particulars of any vehicle could be traced within minutes. Facilities had also been made for uploading information on vehicles being stolen and change of ownership. Motorists were also advised that information about any vehicle would be furnished by the traffic control room.

However, the police are rarely seen showing such efficiency, in a real crime case.

For instance, a person who found his black Hero Honda motorcycle (TN09 L 7825) missing on North Boag Road in T.Nagar on Wednesday afternoon, promptly alerted the Pondy Bazaar police station. The hapless owner of the vehicle, Mr. T. K. Venkatakrishnan of Kripasankari Street, West Mambalam, lodged a complaint with the station concerned.

Ironically, the crime police personnel, who received the police complaint, refused to alert the traffic control room or the city control room immediately, even on request. The reason given by the constable was that he had been given instructions by his superior to inform the control room only after an FIR was registered. Such a delayed response would give those who stole the vehicle sufficient time to cross the city limits. Even, the FIR was not given to the complainant immediately as it required the signature of the sub-inspector ``who was on rounds''.

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Section  : Southern States
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