Hyderabad, Jan 12 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Telangana, A. Revanth Reddy, proposed that fines for traffic infractions be automatically deducted from the bank accounts of offenders.

He instructed the traffic police to associate vehicles with the owners' bank accounts during vehicle registration, ensuring that when a challan is issued, the fine is automatically withdrawn from their accounts.

This auto-debit system is intended to replace the current manual fine collection process. This suggestion was made during the launch of the road safety initiative ‘Arrive Alive’.

Reddy emphasized the necessity for stringent actions against underage drivers and those driving under the influence. He highlighted that while fines are being issued for various violations, many offenders are often allowed to delay payment.

Furthermore, he mentioned that legal actions should be initiated against parents who permit minors to operate vehicles and cause accidents.

The Chief Minister declared that road safety must be prioritized, urging the implementation of strict measures to avert road accidents. Reddy called on officials to leverage advanced technology to manage traffic and tackle associated issues effectively.

He expressed that rigorous enforcement measures will be adopted henceforth to ensure proper traffic control.

Stressing the importance of educating students about road safety, enhancing the traffic signal framework, and revamping the transportation system, he stated that preventing road accidents should become a fundamental objective, supported by clear protocols and possibly new legislation.

“Previously, maintaining law and order was our primary focus. Presently, traffic management has surfaced as the most significant challenge, demanding utmost attention. Special initiatives for road safety should be conducted under the oversight of high-ranking officers, including the DGP and Additional DGP,” he stated.

The Chief Minister revealed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been established with Google for traffic management. He urged the integration of CCTV cameras with the Command Control Centre and advocated for the enhancement of traffic regulation through cutting-edge technological systems.

He lamented that a road accident occurs every minute in the nation, with a life lost every three minutes. Both the central and state governments recognize that road safety education should commence at the student level.

He pointed out that even when individuals adhere to traffic rules, lives are lost due to others' mistakes, underscoring that road accidents resulting from traffic violations must be recognized as preventable fatalities.

He recalled the establishment of dedicated systems aimed at combating cybercrime, counterintelligence, the EAGLE Force for addressing drug abuse, and HYDRAA for preventing encroachments on water bodies. Similarly, he asserted that a dedicated traffic regulation system should now be developed.

He commended the Police Department for organizing a focused road safety awareness initiative and for devising an action plan aimed at reducing road accidents.

The event was attended by Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, various public representatives, Home Department Principal Secretary C.V. Anand, Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar, along with other senior officials.