Siliguri, April 1: The traffic department in Siliguri will henceforth be punching licences of drivers who are found to flout rules on the roads.

Police here have also initiated a process of handing out “compound slips” to defaulting drivers. The slips would detail the nature of the offence committed while driving.

Earlier, the traffic department had introduced a raft of measures aimed at curbing the “rickshaw menace” in Siliguri. At a later stage, the police also tried to rein in the city buses.

Senior officials feel the new measures would go a long way in keeping drivers on an alert.

Deputy superintendent of police (traffic) Farhat Abbas said: “Our decision to punch the driving licences of errant drivers has taken effect from today. This is the first time that such an exercise has been undertaken by the traffic department in this town.”

For a first-time error, a driver’s licence will be punched and a fine of Rs 100 imposed. A second punching would entail a fine of Rs 200 while a third would lead to the cancellation of the licence and a fine of Rs 300.

The number of mobile traffic patrols in the town has also been increased to eight.

“The number of vehicles found plying in Siliguri is second to Calcutta. Moreover, Siliguri has recorded a vehicular growth rate of nearly 70 per cent during the last decade. Which is why it makes sense to introduce sterner measures aimed at bringing about a sense of discipline among the drivers,” said a senior transport department official.

A lot, however, needs to be done to change the way vehicles ply within the town limits.

According to Abbas, the measures which need to be taken include:

lInstallation of electronic signals at all the major traffic intersections in the town.

lImposition of speed limit on some of the major thoroughfares.

lZebra crossings on important roads.

lCurbing rash driving by school buses.