NAGPUR: Most commercial establishments, educational institutions, restaurants and private offices were closed in April and May due to the curbs imposed to check Covid-19 spread in the second wave.
As a result, there was thin vehicular movement on roads.
Yet, there was no let up in accidents and traffic violations.
Rise in traffic violations in Nagpur.As per data obtained from the Nagpur city traffic police, road accidents increased by 12% and traffic violations by 40% in the first five months of this calendar year as compared to the corresponding period last year.
In 2020, when the city was under complete lockdown in April, May and some more period beyond it, the traffic police recorded 290 road accidents which claimed 77 lives and left 297 injured.
The first five months this year saw 350 road accidents which claimed 101 lives and left 364 injured.
Similarly, traffic violations increased manifold in the first five months.
The data revealed that 3,34,215 motorists were caught violating various traffic rules and paid a cumulative fine of Rs6.88 crore.
In 2020, the traffic police had penalized 2,03,249 motorists and collected Rs2.96 crore in fines.
Unlike last year’s lockdown, there were many four-wheelers and two-wheelers on the roads despite lockdown-like restrictions for over two months this year.
Helmetless two-wheeler riders formed the biggest chunk of violators while as many as 25,084 four-wheeler drivers were fined for not wearing seatbelts.
As against 55,457 cases registered during first five months of last year, the traffic police penalized 60,772 two-wheeler riders without helmets from January to May this year.
Violations of no-parking zones and wrong parking too almost doubled this year.
In 2020, there were 13,107 violations which increased to 19,925 this year.
Use of fancy number plates too witnessed a 91% rise.
The traffic police penalized 30,038 motorists — mostly two-wheelers — with fancy number plates, while in 2020 as many as 2,717 motorists were penalized for the violation.
Jumping red lights also saw a 75% rise.
As against 4,528 cases from January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2020, the city traffic police booked 17,498 motorists for the same offence during the corresponding period this year.
Similarly, speeding cases too increased manifold.
In 2020, 571 motorists were fined as against 6,651 booked this year.
DCP (traffic) Sarang Awad said that traffic enforcement on city roads has increased and no violator will be spared.
He further urged motorists to follow traffic rules along with Covid-19 protocols.