Belagavi: The volume of fines collected from traffic violators is not a measure of our efficiency. For me, reducing public travel time is the real priority, said Bhushan Borase, commissioner of Belagavi City police.Speaking at a media interaction organised by Belagavi Print Media Association at Vartha Bhavan on Wednesday, Borase said it’s traffic regulation and not revenue collection that is his focus. Since taking charge a month ago, he redirected 90% of traffic police from fine collection duties to enforcement and traffic management.“The govt hasn’t given us any targets for fine collection. If we can save 10 minutes daily of a citizen’s travel time, that’s significant, and that’s our goal,” he added. Borase also highlighted changes brought to the fine collection process for the convenience of the public. “Now, violators receive a message on WhatsApp followed by a formal notice. Earlier, they had to visit police stations to pay fines. Now, they can pay at Belagavi One centres,” he said.Infra and traffic flowThe commissioner cited potholes as a major cause of traffic slowdown in Belagavi. “The city has roads maintained by the NHAI, PWD, BCC, and Cantonment Board. We have written to all relevant authorities to urgently address the issue and are awaiting responses,” Borase stated.He also revealed that nearly 4,000 trucks move in and out of the city daily. To decongest the roads, police have now fixed specific timings for truck movement, especially during peak hours. Borase said the city is collaborating with the Bengaluru police consultancy service to conduct a comprehensive traffic survey for short, medium, and long-term planning. “We are also consulting bus, truck, and auto drivers before implementing any new measures,” the commissioner noted.Meanwhile, the officer urged people to share their suggestions and feedback on: belagavicitypolice.karnataka.gov.in.“The department is focusing on increasing the number of paid parking areas across the city.”Narcotics crackdownAddressing the growing concern of drug abuse in Belagavi, Borase admitted that the efforts so far are inadequate. “What we are doing is not even 1%. When both buyer and seller are in agreement, it becomes difficult to trace. If we raid one place, they shift to another. Today, transactions happen via the darknet and e-commerce sites. There is a long way to go,” he said.
