ribune News Service

Jammu, December 21

Some drivers of Army vehicles do not hesitate to jump red lights at busy rotaries and crossings in the winter capital, which is already an unplanned city with congested roads, overburdened Traffic Police Department and delayed under-construction flyovers.“In jumping red signals at the rotaries they do not seem bothered about light vehicles and safety of others. This morning I and other people driving their cars had a narrow escape when a monster size Army vehicle didn’t follow red light and virtually crushed my car,” said Alok Mehta, a bank employee.Mehta said he had this harrowing experience in Gandhi Nagar this morning. He was furious over the fact that such Army vehicle drivers don’t take traffic signals seriously and pose threat to the life of others.Shalini Gupta, a Jammu University student, also echoed similar views. “She said people usually come across such Army vehicles being driven rashly while a man in combat uniform keeps blowing a whistle regularly that creates fear among others driving on the road, especially girls and women like me, who ride two-wheelers to reach their colleges and workplaces,” she said.A traffic police officer candidly admitted that at times they come across such Army drivers, who show scant regards for the traffic lights. “But law is same for everyone and we don’t allow violators to go scot-free,” he added.However, Army denied the charge. A Defence spokesperson said all the Army drivers strictly adhere to traffic rules within and outside the cantonments.“However, if such a case comes to the notice of the people, they should simply note down three digit and four digit numbers on front and rear portions of Army vehicles and lodge a complaint. Stern action under law will be taken against violator,” he said.The city and its outskirts have major cantonments in Satwari, Gandhi Nagar, Rehari Chungi, Ambphalla, Kunjwani, Sunjwan, Nagrota, Jammu University Road and Miran Sahib.The SSP, Traffic, Mohan Lal, said law was same for everyone and none would be allowed to violate it.He, however, said to check increasing trend of jumping red lights, the Traffic Police Department had decided to install video cameras at 10 busiest rotaries and crossings in the capital city soon.“Though we have made a proposal of having an integrated system of CCTVs at all the crossings with the facility of relaying real-time images to the Transport Department so as to identify such violators for quick action, for the time being we are going to install 10 videos cameras at as many crossings,” said Lal.The SSP, Traffic, informed that it will take another week for the Traffic Police to come up with the interim arrangement.“These cameras will be installed on tri-pods from morning to late night hours wherein violators of red lights will be identified and consequently challaned,” he added.Till the time we come up with an integrated system of CCTVs functional 24×7, the interim arrangement will remain in place, he said.

Traffic police to install cameras at 10 crossingsT

hough we have made a proposal of having an integrated system of CCTVs at all the crossings with the facility of relaying real-time images to the Transport Department so as to identify such violators for quick action, for the time being we are going to install 10 video cameras at as many crossings. —Mohan Lal, ssp, traffic