Hyderabad Traffic Advisory: Special surveillance camera installed for New Year traffic regulation

As New Year celebrations approach, the Hyderabad Traffic Police has issued a set of restrictions and guidelines on Wed to guarantee public safety in Hyderabad on Dec. 31.  The directive issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Hyderabad encompasses the shutdown of numerous city roads, stipulations for cab, taxi, auto-rickshaw operators, protocols for bars, pubs, and analogous establishments, along with overall guidelines for the public.

Road closures and travel guidelines

In the interest of ensuring public safety, specific road closures have been mandated for the night of Dec. 31.

Light motor vehicles, with the exception of those heading towards the Airport, will be restricted from accessing Nehru Outer Ring Road and PVNR Expressway during late hours, from 10 pm to 5 am.

Several critical flyovers, including:

• Shilpa Layout, 
• Gachibowli, 
• Bio-diversity flyovers 1 & 2, 
• Shaikpet, Mindspace, 
• Road No.45, 
• Durgam Cheruvu Cable Bridge, 
• Cyber Tower, 
• Forum Mall-JNTU,
• Khaithlapur, 
• Babu Jagjivan Ram (Balanagar) 
• AMB (Kondapur), will be completely closed for both vehicular and pedestrian movement from 11 pm to 5 am.

The public is urged to plan their travel accordingly and cooperate with on-duty Traffic Police officials.

Guidelines for cab/ taxi operators

Cab, taxi and auto-rickshaw operators are obligated to adhere to specific regulations, including donning proper uniforms and carrying all essential documents.

Refusing hire is strictly prohibited under Section 178 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, with a penalty of Rs. 500.

Complaints regarding refusals can be reported via WhatsApp at 9490617346.

Operators are expected to maintain professionalism, refraining from misbehavior towards the public or demanding excessive fares.

Strict measures against drink-n-driving

Bars, pubs, clubs and analogous establishments are subject to explicit directives. Any establishment discovered permitting customers or associates to drive under the influence of alcohol will be subject to rigorous legal consequences.

The management will face prosecution for abetting the crime. Additionally, establishments are required to enlighten their patrons about the serious repercussions of drunk driving and are urged to facilitate alternative travel arrangements for their customers.

Consequences of drink-n-drive

A firm caution is in place regarding the repercussions of drunk driving. Offenders will be charged under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. First-time violators will face a penalty of Rs. 10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 6 months, while subsequent offences will incur a penalty of Rs. 15,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 2 years.

As part of the penalty, driving licenses will be seized and subsequently suspended or revoked by the relevant Regional Transport Offices (RTOs).

In instances where an individual under the influence causes a fatal road accident, criminal charges under Section 304 part-II of the IPC (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder) will be pressed, leading to arrest and imprisonment.

Enhanced surveillance measures

To identify violations like over-speeding, wrong routes, signal jumping, rash driving, and riding without helmets, the Traffic Police will deploy specialised cameras. Stringent actions will be initiated against offenders captured by these cameras.

Advisory for public

Beginning from 8 pm on Dec. 31, thorough checks for drunk-driving will be conducted.

Vehicles lacking proper documentation will be temporarily impounded and strict actions will be taken against the violators.

The use of high-decibel sound systems in vehicles is strictly prohibited. Non-compliance will lead to detention and further actions will be taken by the Regional Transport Office (RTO).