Nighttime Relief: Gurugram Police Cease Vehicle Stops, Prioritize Safety and Assistance

Gurugram: In response to numerous complaints regarding nighttime vehicle checks, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Traffic, Virendra Vij, has issued new directives aimed at reducing the inconvenience faced by drivers at night. According to a letter dated May 28, DCP Vij instructed that no vehicles should be stopped or issued challans during night hours unless it is absolutely necessary and authorized by higher authorities.

"Traffic Inspectors are ordered to command all the employees appointed under them in their jurisdiction that no vehicle should be stopped at night and no challan should be issued. If it is very necessary to issue a challan to a driver as per the M.V. Act, in that situation, the challan of that vehicle should be issued as per rules only after bringing it to the notice of the concerned gazetted officer/undersigned and obtaining permission," read the letter from DCP Vij.

This directive comes as a response to complaints that traffic police personnel deployed at night were unnecessarily stopping vehicles and issuing challans, causing undue harassment to common people. The DCP emphasized that traffic police should prioritize assisting the public and ensuring safe routes, especially in the event of road accidents.

"The traffic personnel deployed at night should play an important role as Traffic Police, Gurugram by guiding and helping the common people and drivers and arranging safe routes to take them to their destinations and in case of a road accident. The injured persons should be immediately admitted to the nearest trauma center and the accident-hit vehicles should be immediately removed from the main road and traffic should be allowed to run smoothly," the letter stated.

DCP Vij has warned that any traffic police officer found violating these new rules will face strict departmental action. "The orders should be strictly followed. In case of negligence and carelessness, strict departmental action will be taken against the concerned traffic police officer as per rules with immediate effect," he asserted.

Despite the new guidelines, there has been an uptick in reckless driving during nighttime hours in Gurugram. Many drivers have started flouting traffic rules, driving at high speeds and performing stunts, which has led to an increase in accidents. However, the DCP assured that the traffic police will maintain strict vigilance against drunk drivers to prevent major accidents.

DCP Vij noted that traffic police campaigns against drunk driving will continue several nights a week in various areas to ensure road safety. "The job of traffic personnel deployed at night was to help the common people and drivers and to arrange safe routes in case of a road accident," he reiterated.