The Noida Traffic Police concluded a month-long traffic safety drive in November with a massive enforcement exercise, issuing a staggering number of penalties and seizing hundreds of vehicles. The initiative aimed to curb violations and promote road discipline across the district.
A Month of Intense Enforcement
During the traffic safety month observed in November, the police issued a total of 3,31,090 challans and took the drastic step of seizing 514 vehicles. The data reveals a comprehensive crackdown on a wide spectrum of traffic offences, indicating a zero-tolerance approach towards rule-breakers.
Helmet Violations Lead, But Show Improvement
The most common offence remained riding two-wheelers without a helmet. A whopping 147,364 challans, accounting for nearly 44.5% of the total, were issued to bikers for this violation. However, authorities highlighted a silver lining. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Pravin Ranjan Singh stated that this number was actually lower compared to the previous year's campaign during the same period.
"Due to awareness and stricter enforcement, more people have started wearing helmets while riding two-wheelers. We will continue to raise awareness and inform people about the importance of traffic rules," said DCP Singh. This suggests that sustained efforts are gradually changing rider behaviour.
Breakdown of Other Major Violations
The police data provided a detailed look at other rampant traffic issues in the city. The list of top violations for November includes:
- No-parking: 36,057 challans
- Wrong-side driving: 28,081 challans
- Speeding: 18,300 challans
- Pollution norm violations: 16,946 challans
- Red light jumping: 12,385 challans
- Tripling on bikes: 12,290 challans
Officials noted that the number of violations saw a marginal increase across almost all categories except for riding without a helmet.
Beyond Penalties: A Push for Awareness
The November drive was not solely about issuing fines. The traffic police complemented enforcement with extensive educational outreach. Awareness programs were conducted at 327 schools, engaging nearly 1 lakh students and sensitising them about traffic rules from a young age.
Furthermore, the department organised 6,645 traffic awareness programmes, such as street plays, across Noida district. These initiatives targeted a vast audience of approximately 4 lakh people, including daily commuters, auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, and local residents.
In a tech-forward step, the police also launched a Google Maps integration this month. This new feature allows commuters to view the prescribed speed limits on various roads within Noida directly on the navigation app, aiding in preventive compliance.
The combined strategy of strict penalties and widespread public engagement underscores the police's multi-pronged strategy to build a safer traffic culture in one of the National Capital Region's key cities.
