Bengaluru: The police patrolling bikes, Cobra and Cheetah, are getting a makeover. They could soon be fitted with Android tablets like the Hoysala jeeps for more effective patrolling and also sport a siren that may be a combination of the one used by an ambulance, fire tender and police vehicle. They could have a public address system as well. Going by a senior police officer the proposal to fit the patrolling bikes with the tablets or Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) as they are called, is being discussed and may be implemented early 2018.
“Presently, the MDTs are found only in Hoysala and traffic police patrolling jeeps. These tablets will help police on patrol duty get real time information and alerts from the police control room to attend to a situation or complaint. Being equipped with GPS, the tablets will help the cops on bikes reach a spot without waste of time,” the officer added. Two Cobra bikes have already been fitted with blinker lights, which could warn motorists of approaching traffic police.
Mr Abhishek Goyal, DCP, Traffic (East) told the Deccan Chronicle, “We have fitted two Cobras of the Ulsoor and Jeevan Bhima Nagar traffic police stations with blinkers on an experimental basis. The idea is to create fear among motorists, who park wherever they want to. These bikes will do the rounds in Indiranagar, Ulsoor and surrounding areas and issue challans to owners of vehicles parked in no parking zones. If this proves successful we could implement it across the city.”
The police reportedly came up with the idea after it received numerous complaints from Ulsoor and Indiranagar about hapahazard parking on busy roads by cab drivers and private vehicles causing traffic jams. Explained one police officer, “Earlier, there was a plan to design the Cobras with 3M stickers, but this was expensive and so we came up with the idea of blinkers. We are hoping this will put a stop to people drinking inside cars parked on 100 feet road in Indiranagar, and other illegal activities.”
