Tripura: Police warns overloading vehicles

Agartala, Nov 20: The Tripura police has announced to strictly enforce loading regulations and speed limit for vehicles. Director General of Police (DGP) Pranay Sahaya told mediapersons on Thursday, Nov 20 that 15 decisions had been reinforced in the meeting held on Wednesday, Nov 19 with the officials of state Transport department, PWD, BRO, Agartala Municipal Council and various transport operators following fatal road accidents and subsequent death of eleven passengers on Nov 15.

The speed limit has been fixed at 50 km/hour for light vehicles plying on National Highway and 40 km/hour for medium and heavy vehicles, while for other roads, including city and town areas, the speed limit would be 40 and 30 km/hour respectively.

Mr Sahay also pointed out that rumble strips would be put in accident-prone areas on the roads while Agartala Municipal Council was asked to take action against dumping of construction materials on the roads.

Meanwhile, leading private research body ARPAN, which had already filed a PIL in the High Court regarding mismanagement of traffic, demanded rigorous action against drivers for running overloaded vehicles as well as passengers for riding beyond capacity.

''A strong surveillance team, consisting of police, traffic and transport department officials and having representatives from transport workers' unions and NGOs, led by an officer not below the rank of Inspector General, should be constituted for enforcement on major roads,'' ARPAN officials demanded.

They also asked for imposition of restrictions on paddle rickshaw movement on major city roads during busy hours and freeing all footpaths from encroachment.

UNI