20,866 traffic violations booked in Vizag during nine-day drive

City police booked 20,866 cases under the Motor Vehicles Act during a nine-day special enforcement drive to improve road safety and ensure compliance with traffic rules.

Police registered 10,587 cases against riders for not wearing helmets, accounting for the highest number of violations. They also penalised several pillion riders without helmets during checks at key junctions and busy stretches across the city.

The drive led to the detection of over 320 drunken driving cases and around 625 instances of triple riding, with teams conducting night checks and surprise inspections at multiple locations.

To curb overspeeding, the department deployed three newly acquired interceptor vehicles equipped with speed detection systems. These vehicles helped identify violations, resulting in 1,836 overspeeding cases during the period.

Police stationed the interceptor vehicles at major traffic corridors and accident-prone zones, including PM Palem, IT SEZ, Beach Road, Harbour Road, airport areas, and Pendurthi.

Traffic officials said they are booking cases as per revised speed limit norms, which fix the maximum permissible speed in core city areas at 40 kmph. They are also carrying out awareness measures alongside enforcement.

Commissioner of Police Shankabratha Bagchi said the intensified drive and revised speed limits aim to reduce accidents and improve road safety. He urged motorists to follow traffic rules, especially helmet use and speed limits, to avoid penalties and ensure safety.