Newindpress
Mangalore, Dec 19: The 'interceptor' vehicle introduced in Mangalore with much fanfare to check Speeding of vehicles, ironically has failed to book vehicles violating speed limits in the city.
RTO officials attributed the reason to bad roads in the city, which has curtailed the overs-peeding streak in many drivers. The interceptor vehicle purchased at a cost of around Rs 38 lakh was handed over to the Road Transport Organisation at a function by Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao on December 2.
The vehicle incorporated with two digital cameras also includes an alcoholmeter with a fixed monitor. The interceptor, which capture picture of a speeding vehicle on the digital camera inside the interceptor can produce a print out with details including date, time, location, speed limit on the location and the speed at which the vehicle is moving.
Based on these details, the authorities can book cases against vehicles, which violate speed zone rules. But unfortunately, the condition of roads in Mangalore are so pathetic that vehicles much as they try are not able to cross the speed limit.
As a result, the authorities could not book overspeed cases using interceptor. Only 24 other traffic violation cases were booked within 15 days after introducing interceptor in the city.
Road Transport Officer (RTO) Sadashiv said that they found checking overspeed violations a fruitless exercise in Mangalore. “Riders are not able to cross speed limit at any roads due to pot-holes,'' he stressed.
Even the situation is not different in National and State Highways, he said adding that at present, the interceptor is being used only to track usage of mobile phone while driving, riding without helmets and other traffic violations.
Meanwhile, the government continues to neglect core issues including appointing an additional staff for interceptor and providing a garage for the expensive vehicle. The supplier of interceptor vehicle had imparted training to all inspectors in the RTO office to operate and a driver was deputed for it by the authority.