Starting Monday, the Hyderabad Traffic Police will implement its traffic action plan through ‘Operation ROPE’ and the ‘4E Traffic Model’.
With Removal of Obstructive Parking and Encroachments (ROPE), as a major solution to ease congestion on roads and carriageways, the police will step up action such as by towing-away of vehicles, doubling the number of cranes for each police station, and use of clamps.
Roadside encroachments will be booked and removed, and fine amounts ranging between ₹100 and ₹1,000 will be slapped as per the Motor Vehicles Act. The fines are exclusive of towing-away charges, of ₹200 for two-wheelers and ₹600 for four-wheelers.
The police, with regard to those encroaching footpaths, will follow a ‘vacate or face prosecution’ approach, as reiterated by police commissioner C.V. Anand. Meetings with establishment owners have also been conducted to make them aware of the stern implementation.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) A.V. Ranganath said ‘Stop Line’ and ‘Free Left’ discipline among all vehicle users will be monitored to facilitate pedestrian movement. Violators of the stop line at signals and those obstructing free lefts will be imposed a fine of ₹200 and ₹1,000 respectively as per MV Act.
Imposition of the ambitious traffic action plan is, however, not a one-sided approach.
At the root of the traffic congestion problem in the city, police observe that the volume of vehicles has increased multi-fold. In a span of two years, between January 2020 and August 2022, there was an increase of 9,81, 739 two-wheelers (17%), taking the total motorcycle population in the city to about 56.29 lakh. Four-wheelers number over 13.76 lakh.
The police’s ‘4E Traffic Model’ or Enforcement, Engineering, Education and Enablement follows the law of cause and effect.
While regulation of traffic remains the most important job, enforcement of rules too, with prior education through social media, public advisory and meetings with all stakeholders, will be the EEE model.
The model is unrealisable without the fourth E or Enablement. Hyderabad Traffic Police, in its new endeavour, will have a dedicated budget, give 30% extra allowance to its force, Inspectors of the most recent batches will be posted, and about 240 additional staff will be assigned, besides ensuring them continuous training modules.
