Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Tinted glasses: police vehicles under scanner

Tuesday, March 08, 2011




Continuing with their drive against tinted glasses, the Delhi traffic police on Monday went a step further and challaned police vehicles for flouting norms. Two police vehicles — both parked in police headquarters premises — have been challaned and issued notices to remove the dark films within 72 hours.

Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic), said: "We have challanned both the vehicles and also issued notices to them. We will also keep a strict vigil on private vehicles owned by police officers and will not spare any violators." In the next phase, he said, government vehicles will also be targeted.

Failing to stop motorists from using tinted glasses by just slapping penalties, traffic police resorted to impounding important travel documents to ensure that everyone follows the norm.

Under the drive, defaulters are not just fined but issued a notice to remove the tinted glasses. The police also impound driving licence and registration papers, which are later returned to the owner only when the vehicle with "correction" is taken to the area's traffic office within 72 hours.

"In a span of five days, we have issued challans to as many as 2,077 vehicles of which 1,356 were found to be fitted with tinted glasses. Of them, drivers/ owners of 573 vehicles removed the dark films on the spot, while 1,050 were issued notices. A total of 714 vehicles were found with defective number plates and seven fitted with pressure horns. They too were issued challans," said Garg.

Meanwhile, the traffic police have also started prosecuting police vehicles that used Delhi police logo or DP symbol in the registration number plates of their vehicles and slapped them with a fine of R2,000 for violation of registration certificate under Section 39 of the Motor Vehicles Act.


Posted by Rajeev Lochan Sharma at 12:46 AM 0 comments

Parking restrictions during India-Holland match

Monday, March 07, 2011




No parking will be allowed on Bahadurshah Zafar Marg and Jawaharlal Nehru Marg during the India-Holland World Cup cricket match Wednesday at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, police said Monday.

'There is very limited parking for labelled vehicles in the proximity of the stadium and no parking for general vehicles there,' Joint Commissioner of Police for traffic Satyendra Garg said.

Park-and-ride facility has been created at Mata Sundari Parking and Shanti Van Parking, he added.

The Delhi Traffic Police have asked cricket fans coming in their vehicles to reach these sites and walk down to the stadium.

Those holding car parking labels have been advised to take Ring Road, JLN Marg, Asaf Ali Road or Bahadurshah Zafar Marg. A U-turn at Delhi Gate has also been allowed.

No diversion has been planned for Bahadurshah Zafar Marg or Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, he said.

'However, the public is advised to avoid roads connecting to Ferozshah Kotla roads from 12:00 noon to 3:30 p.m and 09:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m, Garg said.


Posted by Rajeev Lochan Sharma at 12:37 AM 0 comments

Now pay and park at Khan Market

Saturday, March 05, 2011




Shopping at those swanky outlets in Khan Market may now come with the rider of a parking fee. Visitors will have to pay on an hourly basis to park their cars from April 1. New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has been asked by the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee to take over the management of the parking space from the traders' association. Though the rates have not been fixed yet, sources in the NDMC said that initially it is going to be equivalent to the charges prevalent in other markets, for example Connaught Place. For the past 25 years, parking inside the market was managed by the trader's association and it was 'free' for both shopkeepers and visitors. 

"A meeting was convened by the monitoring committee on Saturday to discuss the parking problem at Khan Market and it was recommended that the NDMC should take it over and make it an authorized parking,'' said Santosh D Vaidya, secretary, NDMC. "We are waiting for the final order by the committee, which is going to meet again on March 15. After that tenders will be floated for managing this parking space along with 53 other parking areas under us in New Delhi area. This will be the 54th authorized parking." Vaidya said the final plan is to create a multi-level parking like the one being developed at Baba Kharak Singh Marg in Connaught Place and Sarojini Nagar. "We have already written to the ministry of urban development for allotment of space on Amrita Shergill Marg," he added. 

Bhure Lal, a member of the SC-appointed committee who chaired the meeting, added that once the multi-level parking was created nearby, no parking will be allowed inside Khan Market. "The parking space, which the traders claim to be managing for free, was originally a park. We want it to be restored," he said. 

According to Lal, visitors do not get to park right now as most of the space is occupied by cars of the shopkeepers themselves. "Visitors have to pay extra money, sometimes Rs 20 per hour, to park their vehicles. Originally, the market had shops on the ground floor and residences on the first floor. But since conversion has been allowed, all the residences have been turned into restaurants and pubs. There is no space for pedestrians to walk and even a bomb scare can lead to a big tragedy in the area. Fire tenders cannot go in. We have asked the traders' association and civic agencies to come up with a presentation on how they are going to deal with these problems on March 15, after which a final decision will be taken," said Lal. The committee has also asked NDMC to do away with the old and obsolete government-owned cars lying at the parking space inside Lok Nayak Bhavan and put a check on government officials parking their vehicles on the main road. 

The traders are, however, miffed over the imposition of parking charges. "We have been managing the parking here for 25 years and people are allowed to park for free. Imposition of charges as high as Rs 10-20 per hour will affect local people who come here to fulfill their daily needs," said a trader. 

At any given point of time, it takes 15 minutes to enter Khan Market due to the serious parking crunch in the area. Khan Market traders claim that the parking problems have increased manifold over the years with no parking available at the nearby Metro station. The Lok Nayak Bhavan basement parking has been shut down. There are about 300 shops in the market and the footfall can be imagined. 


Posted by Rajeev Lochan Sharma at 12:37 AM 0 comments

Soon, Chandni Chowk to be no-entry for cars

Friday, March 04, 2011




The chaotic traffic situation at Chandni Chowk is soon going to be a thing of the past. Delhi's Lieutenant-Governor Tejinder Khanna has given the green light to Municipal Corporation of Delhi's ambitious Chandni Chowk redevelopment project on Friday. The civic agency plans to start work on the project by the end of March. As per the plan, the entry of motor vehicles will be not allowed inside Chandni Chowk during the daytime.

Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre ( UTTIPEC), a DDA-constituted body which looks at all transportation projects and transport engineering solutions in Delhi, experts had approved the project last week during a site inspection. "The L-G has given his approval to the project. The decision was taken in a meeting today. Our plan is in place and we just have to hold a meeting with residents of Chandni Chowk to discuss the plan. This will help us in decongesting this area which has historical significance,'' said Deep Mathur, director, press and information, MCD.


Posted by Rajeev Lochan Sharma at 12:37 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Parking lot: HC to meet all agencies to reach solution

Wednesday, March 02, 2011


The Delhi high court has asked the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) to conduct a joint meeting of all civic agencies concerned on March 9 for an under-construction multilevel parking project for it and find a solution "as if the plans have to be sanctioned on a barren virgin land". The parking project at the Sher Shah Suri Marg opposite the high court premises had run into hurdles since work began in October 2009 due to a Mughal-era heritage structure in it the premises. Despite objections by NDMC, construction has continued in full zest. DUAC secretary Navneet Kumar confirmed, "We have received a copy of the High Court directives. But as our chairperson is out of Delhi, we cannot comment on the actual meeting." 

The 15-century unnamed tomb of the Sher Shah Suri era is a notified heritage structure. It means, any project in connection with this structure needs to be referred to the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC), and not to mention, the DUAC, which had rejected proposals for the parking project and an underpass joining the site and the high court premises on December 12, 2010.

In continuation of the high court's February 14 order on the augmentation of infrastructure to meet the increase in the court's manpower, Justice Pradip Nandrajog on February 23 had ordered for the meeting of all agencies concerned on March 9.

The February 23 order had taken cognisance of the DUAC's reservations to the continued construction activity and had directed, "The said issue would not be deliberated upon and the issue of sanction of plans would be taken up with reference to the concerned bye-laws, rules and regulations applicable as if the plans have to be sanctioned on a barren virgin land."

Noting that finalisation of the project required approval of seven authorities, which needed "to sit together at one time at one place and at one drawing board", the court directed the NDMC, ASI, DDA, PWD, Central Vista Committee, Airports Authority of India and chief forest officer of Delhi to attend the meeting.


Posted by Rajeev Lochan Sharma at 12:14 AM 0 comments

To go after illegal parking mafia, municipal body turns to police

Wednesday, March 02, 2011


With the illegal parking mafia gaining control over more than half the parking sites in Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to take the help of the Delhi Police Crime Branch to tackle the situation. Standing Committee Chairman Yogender Chandolia said he has already met the Police Commissioner to discuss matters relating to illegal parking. Chandolia said the MCD, with the help of Delhi Traffic Police, had already met with some degree of success while trying to improve the parking situation in the Capital last year.

The number of authorised parking sites has been increased from 116 to 295.

"We are trying to identify more parking sites in the city. We are also trying to convert illegal parking sites into authorised parking sites. If the sites pose a problem, we will remove them altogether," he said at the Standing Committee meeting of the MCD on Tuesday.

Municipal councillors and zonal deputy commissioners have been requested to identify potential parking sites in their jurisdiction. The MCD will, in turn, take up the matter with the Traffic Police for giving a no-objection certificate to sites that are fit to be converted into parking lots.

The MCD has also posted Directorate of Enforcement personnel at various parking sites. Chandolia also issued a warning stating that contractors who fleece the public by charging them more will face punitive action.

Stating that the contracts of violators will be cancelled, he said, "There are many rules being broken in the area of parking, and the MCD needs the help of the police to rectify them."

The MCD will hand over breach-of-violation cases to the Crime Branch, Chandolia said.


Posted by Rajeev Lochan Sharma at 12:14 AM 0 comments

Tinted glass violators won’t get away easily now

Wednesday, March 02, 2011


Despite numerous drives launched by the traffic police, cars with tinted glass can be regularly spotted on the roads of the capital. The fine of Rs 100 is hardly a deterrent. This poses a serious challenge to law and order - nothing is visible inside. Not surprisingly, in many major crimes, particularly against women, such cars have proved to be quite handy. 

The traffic police, however, is promising to give the violators a very tough time. It's launching a drive on Thursday against tinted glass and car owners not sticking to the percentage of tint that's allowed will have to hand in either their registration certificate or their driving licence along with the usual Rs 100 challan slapped on defaulters. "A notice will be issued to them by the traffic personnel and the defaulter will have to report to the area traffic inspector where the violation was recorded within 72 hours for inspection of their vehicle. If the directions are not followed, the matter will be forwarded to the court," explained joint commissioner of police (traffic) Satyendra Garg. At present, there should be at least 70% transparency in the front and rear windows and 50% transparency on the side windows. 

The same directive will also apply to those using vehicles with defective numberplates and pressure horns, said the cops. "Usually, since the fine is just a meagre Rs 100, which is nothing compared to the money spent on films (ranging from Rs 700 to Rs 14,000 for the more fancy ones that protect from UV rays), it is not enough of a deterrent. We hope that the stricter action will make the defaulters mindful of the rules," said a senior traffic officer. 

In the first six weeks of the year, 20,000 vehicles were booked for tinted glass, significantly more than the 1500-odd such prosecutions last year during the same period. "Significantly, a major of these were repeat offenders, showing that despite being caught, Delhiites are mostly unmindful of the rules," said a senior traffic officer. 

The "Rules of Road Regulations, 1989", framed by the central government under section 118 of the Motor Vehicle act states that, "a driver of a motor vehicle and every other person using the road shall obey every direction given, whether by signal or otherwise, by a police officer or any authorized person for the time being in charge of the regulation of traffic." Under the rule, even a traffic constable has the power to issue the notice to the defaulter, claimed traffic cops. 

Tinted glass in vehicles have been a major source of concern for women's security as well as criminal activities. Delhi Police had earlier sent a proposal to the Union home ministry to amend the Motor Vehicle Act for enhancing fines on use of tinted glass. While Delhi Traffic Police is currently in the process of acquiring machines to test the percentage of tint, they claim that defaulters usually are aware that they were not following the regulations. "Usually, we can easily tell if the thickness of the glass is more than the permissible limit. However, if anyone contests the claim, we will send the matter to court. However, the prosecutions that have taken place this year have not been contested by the vehicle owners," said a senior traffic officer. 

Tinted glasses have been known to be used by several criminals especially during rape and murder. Whether it was the murder case of IT executive Jigeesha or the infamous Dhaula Kuan and Mayapuri rape incidents, cars with tinted glass have been brazenly used. 


Posted by Rajeev Lochan Sharma at 12:13 AM 0 comments
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