Srinagar: Days after the two young students died in a tragic road accident in Srinagar’s Tengpora, the traffic police has upped its ante to reign in on the minors riding two wheelers and four wheelers in a bid to save precious lives.
In the past three days, over 1000 vehicles, the majority of them two-wheelers-bikes and scooties-have been seized by the traffic department.
Two young students of Delhi Public School (DPS) were killed at Tengpora road of Srinagar in a deadly road accident that sent shock waves across the Valley. The incident prompted the traffic department to launch a massive drive against the minors driving two wheelers.
“It is always painful to see young lives being lost on the road due to reckless driving. One thing we have noticed is that parents are supporting their children who are not even 18 yet and they drive two wheelers and scooties,” Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Srinagar Muzaffar Ahmad Shah told reporters.
He said that parents’ support in curbing the minor driving vehicles is of utmost importance. “To bring down the number of accidents, we need full support from the parents. We have seized many two wheelers and also counselled the minors by calling their parents as well. At the maximum, we can seize almost 500 two wheelers a day that are driven by the youngsters without license,” he said.
The SSP said that without parental support, traffic police can’t do much. Official sources said that in the past four days, over 1000 vehicles have been seized and challaned as well. “They were run by minors without license. The drive will continue,” they said.
As per the tentative figures available with the traffic department, at least 500 lives are consumed by traffic roads every year in Kashmir alone. “The figure includes the accidents that take place in rural areas, highways and the national highways,” he said.
Sources said that the traffic cops deployed at vital points have been directed to counsel the minors driving two wheelers. “We can’t slap or thrash these young kids. They need to be counselled properly,” officials said.
