Hyderabad: ROPE hits hard on motorists, 3 lakh+ violators challaned

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Traffic police' operation ROPE, launched on September 15, is gradually roping-in motorists on the road of discipline as in the past 55 days, cops have challaned over 3,07,103 violators to inculcate traffic sense and prioritise pedestrian safety.

According to Hyderabad Traffic Police, several initiatives have been taken to foster commuter-discipline and road safety while supporting a safe, substantive and systematic traffic management. An action plan has been adopted under 4 E's of Traffic Management (i.e. Enforcement, Education, Engineering and Enablement).

During the drive, motorists were educated on practicing to halt right at the stop line and to not interrupt the running traffic at free lefts. So far, notable and impressive changes have been witnessed. "Firm action has been taken against violators and during the special drive, E-challans were issued against 27,031 free-left blocking and 2,80,072 stop-line violators," officials said.

Traffic police officials have identified the factors acting as barriers to the mobility of vehicles and have initiated a special drive against obstruction and encroachment removal. Vendors and shopkeepers were sensitised on unauthorised occupation of carriageway and footpaths by placing materials or push carts by serving legal notices under section 29(m)(n) of Hyderabad City Police Act 1348 F.

Officials said that so far 11,236 notices have been served to the establishments for unauthorised parking at public places and as many as 543 FIR's have been registered against those who have committed grave encroachments.

Field-level traffic officials have towed 5,121 vehicles that have been abandoned on internal and by-lanes for months altogether and have shifted them to a designated yard.

Cops have identified over 40 bus stops, 30 auto stands and 19 U-Turns as traffic-congesting restraints. "Of the 40 bus stops, 14 have been shifted altogether while the rest are under progress. Likewise, of the 30 identified auto stands, 19 have been shifted. Hyderabad Traffic Police addressed a letter to GHMC to construct Bus shelters on war footing to facilitate passengers," informed officials.

Discussions are taking place with the GHMC's engineering wing, to either shift or to close the identified U-turns to avert traffic snarls and stop any further cascading effects on either sides of the junctions. After a careful examination, two major U-turns were closed at Himayath Nagar Road and Zehra Nagar, Banjara Hills.