GUWAHATI, Nov 22 - The Gauhati High Court has directed the State government to conduct a scientific study on the problem of vehicular traffic congestion in the city.
It has also directed the Home department to depute an officer in the rank of the Deputy Inspector General of Police who would monitor the complaints reported by the general public against erring policemen, failing in their duty on the roads, through social media platforms. It has directed the police to create two Facebook accounts and provide two WhatsApp numbers for the public to send their complaints in the form of text or video.
The court�s direction came in response to public interest litigation (PIL) filed by one Rita Das Mazumdar, a resident of Guwahati, on the aggravating problem of traffic congestion in the city.
Further, the Commissioner of Police has been asked to summon all the relevant associations of the city markets, impressing upon them to install close circuit television (CCTV) cameras outside their shops.
�The CCTV cameras be installed with reasonably high resolution so that the entire view of the roadside comes clear. Whenever such footages are required, the same can be made available for not only considering the violation of the traffic rules and regulation but also for monitoring slack police personnel and for investigation of crimes that might have taken place within the view of the cameras,� the court said. It also asked the Transport department to ensure that buses follow only the allotted routes and stop only at the specified stops.
The court, meanwhile, also ordered Deputy Inspector General of Assam Police Nitul Gogoi to monitor the situation and appraise the court on behalf of the police authorities and other agencies like the Transport department, about the compliance level of the court�s directions.
