Kalyani police district has introduced a novel initiative to recognise responsible motorists by awarding them the "Responsible Citizen" badge.
As part of the ongoing "Safe Drive, Save Life" campaign that began on July 1, the traffic wing of the Ranaghat police district has started presenting these badges to individuals who have been spotted as following traffic norms while riding two-wheelers or driving cars.
The initiative was launched by the Kalyani traffic guard and is currently being actively implemented across all seven traffic guards under the district’s jurisdiction.
The concept was envisioned by Ashish Maurya, the SP of Ranaghat police district. “It is aimed to encourage people to obey traffic rules by all possible means while on the road," Maurya said.
According to district police sources, this is the first such initiative of its kind in Bengal.
Since its launch, over 100 motorists within the eight police station areas under Ranaghat police district have already been honoured with the badge.
Speaking to The Telegraph, deputy superintendent of police (traffic) Sanjay Kumar said: “Our aim is to reduce the possibility of accidents by creating awareness and at the same time encouraging people who are law-abiding. Through stringent monitoring over the past few months, we have been able to reduce accident rates. If people become more aware, accidents will decline further in the coming days.”
The process of honouring a motorist involves careful observation by the traffic police.
Officers assess how a motorist responds to signals, whether the rider is wearing the correct helmet, if pillion-riders are also wearing helmets, whether seatbelts are used, if the vehicle meets pollution norms, and whether the individual is driving in a disciplined and non-reckless manner.
“At the same time, we are monitoring how careful the motorists are about pedestrians, particularly the elderly and children. It is a comprehensive concept aimed at identifying truly responsible motorists who deserve to be honoured,” DSP Kumar added.