TIRUPATI: Tirupati district administration on Wednesday distributed road safety equipment and rapid drug testing kits to the district police as part of measures to strengthen road safety enforcement and curb ganja use and trafficking.
District collector Dr S. Venkateswar and superintendent of police L. Subba Rayudu handed over the equipment at the police parade grounds in Tirupati. Safety gear was provided to personnel attached to mobile traffic road safety vehicles, while police officials demonstrated the use of rapid drug testing kits.
The collector said 43 accident-prone black spots had been identified along national highways in the district. Safety measures had already been installed at 20 locations and work at the remaining sites would be completed soon.
He said highway mobile teams were conducting regular night patrols to prevent accidents caused by parked heavy vehicles. Awareness programmes were also being conducted at petrol bunks, while steps were being taken to ensure tractors, trailers and heavy vehicles carried reflective stickers.
Dr Venkateswar said `15 lakh had been allocated for road safety and ganja control measures. About 10,000 rapid ganja testing kits had been procured and were being supplied to police stations across the district.
Referring to the chain-snatching and hit-and-run cases involving vehicles with missing or improper number plates, the collector asked vehicle owners to install registration plates as per RTA norms within 10 days. He warned that a special enforcement drive would be conducted against violators.
Subba Rayudu said police, revenue, transport and National Highways officials were jointly working to improve road safety. He said black spots across the district had been inspected and most corrective measures completed.
The SP said 11 dedicated road safety vehicles had been deployed for accident prevention, traffic regulation and monitoring of stranded vehicles on highways.
He said the district police were working towards making Tirupati a ganja-free district. About 4,500 kg of ganja was destroyed last month and more than 10,000 rapid testing kits had been introduced.
Subba Rayudu said 37 preventive detention cases had been registered in the past two years against ganja offenders, red sanders smugglers and rowdy-sheeters. He appealed to the public to cooperate with the police.
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