City cops begin drive to clear encroachments on footpaths

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad traffic police on Tuesday once again initiated the operation ROPE (Removal of Obstructive Parking and Encroachments) in Tolichowki and removed the encroachments on footpaths and carriageways.

The operation was led by Hyderabad City Police Commissioner C V Anand. The traffic police mobilised manpower, cranes, and LMVs and carried out the removal of encroachments in the stretch. The Commissioner informed that these special drives under ROPE will be continued against encroachments and obstructive parking across the Commissionerate to clear the footpaths and recover the road width.

C V Anand said that ROPE will be carried out in Hyderabad in an intensified manner. Unless the footpaths are cleared and the carriageway is free of the obstruction, the traffic congestion wouldn’t subside. Most of these road side vendors are not poor. They are from other States and encroaching on public places by paying hefty sums to the local mafia-like elements. “It is surprising to note that the shopkeepers are leasing the space in front of their shops for a decent sum. To find a solution to the traffic problem, people, politicians and officials of all departments should cooperate. And even without the cooperation of local politicians, some problems will arise,” said CV Anand.

Later, the traffic police took up the special drive against the unauthorised use of sirens in four-wheelers, as they are posing a threat to road safety and public

order, creating confusion, panic, disrupting traffic flow, and also can lead to road accidents. During the last month, the traffic police seized 1,015 sirens and 525 multi-tone horns.

The Commissioner also oversees the operation and crushing them under a road roller along the Tolichowki Road. P Vishwa Prasad Addl CP Traffic, Venkateswarlu, DCP Traffic, and other men and officers were present.