Crime boom on Outer Ring Road

Hyderabad: The horrifying incident of a woman being stabbed and thrown on the Outer Ring Road on Thursday points to the need for more patrol vehicles on the highway, says the Cyberabad traffic police. At present, only five patrol vehicles are operating on the 75-km stretch with each vehicle covering 15 km 24x7. Initially the Cyberabad traffic police had tied up with the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, and had introduced five vehicles saying that more will be procured later. It is almost five months now, and there are no signs of more patrol vehicles.

The four patrol vans are operating from Pedda Amberpet to Raviryala, Raviryala junction to Pedda Golconda, Pedda Golconda to Himayatsagar and from Shamshabad to Gachibowli. “The patrol vans are part of the security initiative introduced in January 2014 to curb violations like over-speeding, wrong parking and driving in the wrong lane. However, the five vehicles are in continuous operation, and cannot be stationed at one place. If more vehicles are procured back-to-back trips can be conducted leaving no scope for such incidents. Earlier, the HMDA had promised more vehicles,” said a senior Cyberabad traffic official.

Meanwhile, speedsters continue to enjoy jolly rides on the Outer Ring Road as the police does not have laser speed guns. ORR patrol vehicles are operating on the highway since five months now, but they have not been able to control speeding as the Hyderabad Metropoli-tan Development Authority has not yet procured speed guns. As per the notification, faster vehicles should move in right lanes (lane 1 and 2), slow vehicles in left lanes (3 and 4) and heavy vehicles in lane 3 or lane 4 only. All vehicles which change their speed will have to go to the lane having the concerned speed range. No zigzag movement between the lanes is permitted. Drivers wanting to change lanes should do so only after using indicators.