Chennai: While they are happy with the friendly approach of Commissioner A K Viswanathan and the latest developments in the department, traffic police personnel, however, feel the need for more manpower.
According to sources, a Traffic Investigation Wing (TIW) records at least 10 cases a day and small teams are being made to cover a large area.
For instance, by 3.15 pm on a weekday recently, the TIW at Guindy police station had recorded six road mishaps.
Most of the traffic investigation members are out on duty riding two-wheelers attending to road accidents, rushing victims to the hospital, collecting CCTV footage, gathering information from witnesses, investigation and so on.
“Adyar Traffic Investigation has to inquire cases as far as Muttukadu on East Coast Road. More people are needed here,” says a member of Adyar TIW.
Another drawback, they say, is the lack of facilities, “Many a time, we use our own two-wheelers to attend cases. We currently have a team comprising an Assistant Commissioner, Inspector and around 13 police personnel.”
Another source says, “Guindy, Adyar, Poonamallee and Ambattur wings cover wide areas. Places such as MGR Nagar, Saidapet, Ashok Nagar, Mount, Velacheri and OMR fall under the Guindy Traffic Investigation Wing.” Three teams of seven members work on three shifts.
“It is over 30 km in radius. And daily 10 cases are registered here,” points out an officer.
The police team gets information from various sources – control room, hospitals, public and policemen – and a constable is immediately asked to head to the spot.
“Our duty involves identifying victim(s), facilitating post-mortem in case of death, tracing a hit-and-run vehicle (a CCTV records an incident, but not the vehicle number in most cases), producing an accused in court and so on,” he said.
“On weekends, we receive 10 to 15 calls. If the duty is at OMR, our day is gone,” says a police constable at Guindy.
Places as large as Guindy must be split into two. A new TIW must be set up at Velacheri, he suggests.
More number of accidents happen on OMR. “Mishaps take place mostly because of pedestrian carelessness. They climb over the tall medians to cross the road.”