Residents’ associations seek better traffic control measures in Kozhikode city

Citing rampant violations of lane traffic rules and speed limits, an apex council of various residents’ associations in Kozhikode city has called upon the police and Motor Vehicles department (MVD) to initiate stringent legal action against violators.

At a meeting recently convened to discuss public concerns related to road safety issues, the residents’ association functionaries under the council alleged that traffic rule violations and rash driving, resulting from poor enforcement, were making the city roads hazardous, with recurring snarls.

“There should be concrete action to address the increasing traffic congestion. Road races by private bus operators are also a major concern,” said M.K. Beeran and C. Radhakrishnan, president and general secretary of the apex council in Kozhikode district. They said that residents’ associations under the apex council in Kozhikode city would organise more regional meetings to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to address public concerns.

Following the council’s call, various residents’ associations within the Kozhikode city limits are now planning to organise regional protest meets to mobilise public opinion in favour of their demands and to streamline traffic control measures. Calls to post more traffic police officers or home guards to ease bottlenecks have already been made before the authorities, they said.

Along with speed limit violations, residents’ association functionaries in Eranhipalam, Karaparamba, and Chevayur have protested against the reckless parking of heavy vehicles along major roads without park lights or proper reflectors. They said accidents have been on the rise due to speeding vehicles colliding with parked vehicles. They demanded that hefty fines be imposed on drivers of illegally parked vehicles.

“Modernisation of traffic lights is another basic requirement now. We need fully automated traffic signal systems to reduce human effort and ensure smooth vehicle flow. Even portable lights can be experimented with in more locations,” said C.V. Joy, a residents’ association member in Kozhikode city. He also pointed out that more CCTV cameras should be installed along the roads for real-time surveillance.

Residents’ association functionaries who recently sought the intervention of the traffic police to control road stunts by motorcycle riders said such dangerous activities were recently spotted on the renovated Kozhikode bypass road. They alleged that projects earlier proposed to strengthen the surveillance camera network were being overlooked.

Meanwhile, the traffic police and MVD officers said the list of people caught for traffic rule violations and rash driving during the Onam season would be released soon to highlight their interventions. They also pointed out that flash inspections were continuing with the support of special squads along all accident-prone routes in the city limits.