Chennai: 289 heavy vehicles seized after school girl death, face 100-day ban from city roads

CHENNAI: In continuation of the citywide crackdown against heavy vehicles, the Chennai city police booked cases against 82 vehicles on Friday for operating on city roads during peak hours.

The crackdown by the city traffic police comes in the wake of the death of a 10-year-old girl who was run over by a water tanker in Perambur on Wednesday after falling from her mother's two-wheeler while going to school.

Since the accident, the police have booked 289 heavy vehicles, including 120 water tankers, and seized them for violating the norms for the operation of heavy vehicles in the city. Of these, 202 vehicles were booked a day after the accident.

City Police Commissioner A Arun had already suspended Sembium traffic (enforcement) inspector Sudalaimani and also initiated departmental action against Assistant Commissioner (enforcement), Pulianthope range, Sathyamoorthy, as the traffic enforcement officials failed to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles during school hours.

On Saturday, the top brass of the city police met representatives of the tanker lorry association and asked them to operate their vehicles as per the operational guidelines. According to the directive, heavy vehicles, including water tankers, are prohibited from operating within city limits during peak traffic hours from 7 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 8 pm to prevent accidents and reduce congestion.

Police officials said that any heavy vehicle found operating in violation of the restrictions during these hours and involved in an accident may be banned from city roads for up to 100 days.