Bhopal to replace 37 vehicle checks with 12 checkpoints

Bhopal: In a major revamp aimed at reducing traffic congestion during peak hours, Bhopal police have decided to replace the existing police station-wise vehicle checking system with 12 common checkpoints across the city’s Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) divisions.The move comes after frequent complaints that simultaneous vehicle checking by all 37 police stations was creating bottlenecks on major roads during evening rush hours.Under the new arrangement, one checkpoint will be set up for every ACP division, covering the jurisdictions of about three police stations. Each checkpoint will be supervised by the area ACP and manned by around 20 police personnel, drawn from the three police stations along with traffic police.

An additional checkpoint will continue functioning near the Police Control Room.Police said the new system is expected to improve enforcement while ensuring smoother traffic flow.At present, every police station conducts vehicle checking independently, while the traffic police also operate 28 checkpoints during the day. Officials admitted that the smaller checkpoints, usually manned by four to five personnel, were not very effective and often resulted in long traffic queues at key intersections.

Violators often ran away spotting cops conducting checks.The new checkpoints will focus not only on traffic violations but also on identifying criminals and habitual offenders in a bid to curb the recent rise in street crimes, including knife attacks, snatching and robberies.The decision follows a joint inspection of major traffic bottlenecks by the collector and Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar earlier this week.

During the inspection, the police commissioner reviewed the impact of vehicle checking on traffic movement and interacted with commuters.Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar said the common checkpoints would enable more coordinated enforcement without disrupting traffic. He added that personnel would also crack down on wrong-side driving, a major cause of road accidents, and respond promptly to reports of congestion.Authorities have also been directed to remove obstructions at Bag Sewania Square and Govindpura Turning to improve traffic flow.