Andhra Pradesh

Provision for a foot overbridge readers react

Sir,

Pedestrians, especially children, women and senior citizens find it difficult to cross the road in front of Shoppers Stop, Begumpet. Can a Foot-over Bridge be built here? Meanwhile, is there a provision to deploy policemen to help people cross the road.

Satyanarayana,

Begumpet Dear Mr. Satyanarayana,

I have detailed one Inspector especially to take care of the Begumpet road. He will be briefed to assist pedestrians near Shopper’s Stop and HPS. We have notified the left lane for slow moving vehicles like autos, auto trolleys, etc. Those found in the wrong lanes are being booked.

Sir,

Applicants seeking driving licenses should be made to learn traffic manual and take a computer generated test based on the traffic manual. Permanent licences shall be issued only after thorough test on road and that too for a short period like three years. License of motorists who commit more than two violations should be cancelled.

Driving Licenses of parents who allow minor children to drive four wheelers should also be cancelled.

Y. Suresh,

Serilingampally Dear Suresh,

The Transport Department follows a set of rules while issuing driving licences. So far, all our focus was on the vehicle numbers in our challans. The owner was supposed to arrange payment of fine.

Now, when we stop a violator, we note down his personal particulars and his DL no., etc., and this information is passed on to the RTA for examining the tendency of the DL holder and disqualifying him from driving.

We also summon parents, when underage drivers are caught.

Dear Sir,

The major reason for traffic woes is allowing shopkeepers to operate their establishments on the main road without ample parking facilities. On Raj Bhavan road traffic flows comfortably most of the time because there are not many shops and there is ample parking as well.

Vishnu,

Hyderabad Dear Mr. Vishnu,

While the rest of the things connected with road widening, issue of trade licences and fixing hours for workers are to be tackled mainly by other departments, in regarding lane discipline, we are trying to instil it in the minds of the road users through awareness programmes and notification through the media.

Sir,

Recently, I was driving a two-wheeler on the Telugu Talli flyover when a car suddenly came in opposite direction and took a ‘U’ turn.

However, with much difficulty, I managed to pass across without hitting the car but any flyover which does not have road dividers is dangerous to drive on. Please take preventive actions to avoid such incidents.

Prasad

Dear Mr. Prasad,

I had a similar experience on the same flyover on the other end when I stopped a car driver for taking a U-turn.

He protested that he had been doing it for over a year now! He further informed that he had come after a three -week stay in England.

When asked whether he would drive in a similar way in England , he had nothing to say. We sent him to court.

I wish, you had note down the number of the car and sent it to us. We have posted men on either side of flyovers to keep an eye on such drivers.

Sir,

Many times motorists cross the stop-line even as red light is on and make it difficult for those coming from other direction to move further.

Even before the signal turns green, motorists move forward and come on to middle of the road creating traffic chaos.

G. Sulochana,

Greenlands Dear madam,

We are trying to make people aware of the importance of the lane system.

We have also notified lanes for slow moving vehicles on the extreme left. Drivers who are coming on the wrong side of the divider and the median are being booked.

Sir,

On the Srinagar Colony Junction-Punjagutta police station stretch and on Ameerpet road, there are gaps between the dividers allowing two wheelers and even four wheelers to pass through. At times, vehicles are crossing over the medians directly as the height of the medians is almost same as the road level.

B. Radhakrishna murthy,

Yellareddyguda Dear Mr. Radhakrishnamurthy,

We are trying to raise height of the dividers so that rash drivers do not succeed in crossing them when and wherever they like.

Pedestrians should use the foot over-bridge. At the Ameerpet Junction, we have instructed traffic policemen to help pedestrians in crossing the road by regulating the vehicular traffic.

Sir,

I suggest short video clippings of wrong parking, rash overtaking by motorists, buses stopping in middle of road, haphazard driving by auto-rickshaw drivers, taking ’U’ turns on flyovers, talking on mobile phones while driving etc, should be telecasted during prime time and cricket matches to educate public and especially the youngsters.

T.P. Baru

Dear Mr. Baru,

It is a good idea.

We have requested the Andhra Pradesh Films, TV & Theatre Development Corporation to prepare such clips showing the wrong as well as the right way of driving, parking, turning, overtaking, etc.

They should be ready for release on TV Channels as well as Cinema Halls, very shortly.

We got an animation film prepared on traffic violations earlier through the GHMC and distributed it to TV Channels & Theatres.

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