To curb road accidents, T'gana transport dept to act tough against vehicles violating rules

Hyderabad, Nov 12 (PTI) In an effort to reduce road accidents, the Telangana government has prepared an action plan to take tough measures on a continuous basis against vehicles which violate rules.

State Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, who held a meeting with officials on Wednesday, said three flying squads at the state level and 33 teams in the districts have been formed to carry out enforcement drives.

The enforcement teams would undertake surprise checks against vehicles on a daily basis, an official release said.

The teams would particularly focus on over-loaded lorries, buses and would check the fitness and pollution certificates of vehicles transporting sand, fly ash, stones and other construction material, it said.

The authorities would impose additional penalties and even seize such vehicles for violation of rules.

Orders have been issued to the enforcement teams to not harass autos carrying passengers and tractors used for agriculture purposes, it said.

Prabhakar enquired about action taken against vehicles involved in violation of rules in the wake of the recent bus accident at Chevella near here in which 19 people were killed, it said.

The officials informed the minister that cases have been booked against 2,576 vehicles in one week. The vehicles included 352 lorries and 43 buses which were over-loaded.

Nineteen people, including 13 women and a girl child, were killed and about 30 others suffered injuries when a tipper lorry carrying gravel collided head-on with a public transport bus at Chevella near here on November 3. PTI SJR SJR KH