Ranchi: Overall traffic violations in the city declined in July compared with June, but cases of illegal parking, speeding and unauthorised entry increased as the traffic police intensified enforcement.Traffic police penalised 1,20,197 vehicles in July, down from 1,24,144 in June, according to transport department data. The penalties imposed also fell from Rs 9.5 crore in June to Rs 7.80 crore in July.However, no-parking violations rose from 50,500 in June to 56,032 in July. Speeding cases increased from 2,118 to 2,367, while no-entry violations went up from 1,312 to 1,547.The number of prosecutions involving fake or tampered number plates, seizure of auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws, and three-month suspension of driving licences also increased sharply — from 831 in June to 1,015 in July. Seized auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws will be released through courts after payment of fines.Traffic police have been conducting a special enforcement drive since June 1 to ease congestion and reduce accidents.“We have been focusing on no-parking and parking on roads. Speeding is also our focal point as it leads to more accidents and fatalities. We hope the fines, which are more disciplinary than punitive, will bring about behavioural changes among people,” SP (rraffic) Rakesh Ranjan said.Ranjan said speed-detection cameras had been installed at 10 locations in Ranchi. The department has proposed installing more cameras in peripheral areas and along the city’s Ring Road.Helmet violations, meanwhile, fell from 58,743 in June to 51,055 in July. Ranjan attributed the decline to increased helmet use among two-wheeler riders following large-scale enforcement in recent months.Among other major violations recorded in July were 4,471 cases of jumping red lights, 710 of carrying extra passengers, 648 of driving on the wrong side, 505 of driving without a licence, 393 of auto-rickshaw drivers operating without uniforms and 237 of travelling without seat belts.
