Police in need of more mobile interceptors to track speed limit violations in Kozhikode

Even as the Police and Motor Vehicles Department squads are gearing up for an intensified road checking to mitigate the increasing road accident deaths, the demand to sanction more modern interceptor vehicles to track speed limit violations is still remaining overlooked. The interceptor vehicle allotted for Kozhikode city police is now having an out-of-order radar camera, which will not be useful for any productive enforcement drive.

Police sources say only interceptor vehicles fitted with high-end radar cameras will be able to detect speed limit violations scientifically in areas located out of the existing road surveillance camera network. In the absence of such modern vehicles, the checking squads will come across technical difficulties to register cases with digital evidence, they reveal.

The unsatisfactory annual maintenance contract is also spoiling the chances of getting the lone mobile unit repaired. Poor battery backup and space constraints in the vehicle have further crippled the enforcement actions using the technically-unfit vehicle.

The enforcement squad is compelled to use this old vehicle at a time when their counterparts in other States are now experimenting with the infrared cameras which can generate perfect test results even in the late night hours. According to official sources, the existing radar camera in the old interceptor vehicle cannot generate clear images after 6 p.m. because of the low light challenge.

There are also complaints against the traditional type of report generation by radar cameras with low zooming capacities during checking. Police sources say only high-end cameras can generate standard reports which can be produced in the court as a strong piece of evidence to prosecute the offenders.

Though there have been demands to ensure at-least three mobile interceptor vehicles for a stronger road checking against the rampant speed rule violations, no solid proposals have been forwarded to the higher authorities for action. The request to check the possibility of using the fund generated from the auctioning of old vehicles also is remaining ignored.

Meanwhile, the functionaries of the Road Accident Action Forum point out that the existing road safety fund available with the State government can be effectively used for improving various road safety measures. They also argue that a portion of the compounding fee collected in the name of various road rule violations equally can be set apart for the cause.