ENS By

The policemen are supposed to be law enforcement forces by implementing law and order. But, they were caught wrong side by violating traffic rules in Hyderabad.

The Hyderabad Traffic police on Thursday started a special drive in issuing challans to policemen for not wearing helmets while riding on bikes. During the drive, traffic police detained policemen clad in khakhi riding on bikes without helmets and issued challans. The traffic cop also warned that police men who are caught driving bikes without helmets three consecutive times, the policemen would be suspended.

With netizens posting pictures of policemen who riding bikes without helmets and posting comments on social networking site of Facebook and it went viral as city traffic police are implementing helmet rule strictly, the Hyderabad Police Commissioner M Mahender Reddy issued orders directing all police men in Hyderabad should wear helmets while riding on bikes. He also wanted in orders that if any policemen are caught without helmet while riding on bike three consecutive times, they would be suspended from service for violating traffic rules.

Though there are more than 36 lakh motorists in the city, 40 per cent of them do not have valid driving licences.

Those who avoided the idea of getting a valid driving licence are booking slots for Learners Licence tests in advance and waiting eagerly in queues to take the exam.

Evidence for this could be found as large number of people are seen huddling together under the shade at the entrance of Learners Licence Test Centre at Regional Transport Authority offices on harsh mornings and afternoons, an unlikely scene at the centres where only a few people could be found on other days.

Everyday, more than 1,200 people are taking the tests in various Regional Transport Authority (RTA) offices in the city. “On Wednesday, 1,450 people took the test,” said T Raghunath, Hyderabad’s joint transport commissioner.

Of the five RTA LLR test centres in the city, the highest demand was recorded at Malakpet and Secunderabad centres. Raghunath said the Transport department would offer the tests on Saturday and Sundays too, except on public holidays.

The issue of large number of people plying vehicles without holding licences was also raised at Traffic Awareness Programme organised by Goshamahal Traffic Training Institute, on Wednesday, which was attended by hundreds of college students.

Tollywood actors Siva Reddy, Rajeev Kanakala, and Raja sensitised the students about following traffic rules. More than 100 students from various colleges attended the programme.