A day after the State Government decided a three-month moratorium on levying hefty fines as per the provisions of Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act-2019 on rule violators, traffic police  on Tuesday were seen engaged in spreading awareness about traffic rules among commuters in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

In Bhubaneswar, helmets were provided free of cost to the rule violators at the Kalpana Square as part of the sensitisation drive.

In Cuttack, taking the help of cine stars, the policemen distributed flowers, chocolates and ‘Thank You’ cards to the two-wheeler riders and light motor vehicle drivers, who had wore helmets and tied their safety belts. “We have decided to augment the awareness drive”, said Traffic DCP Sagarika Nath.

At many places, the traffic cops were seen collecting pre-September 1 fine from those two-wheeler riders, who were travelling without helmets. The violators who paid fines, were however, given free helmets, Nath said.

“We are conducting awareness drives at important junctions in the twin cities in the initial phase. Later, it would be expanded to other areas. The enforcement of the MV Act is not a revenue generating exercise. Awareness and safety of public are our aim,” she added.

It is alleged that armed with the new law, traffic cops were behaving very rudely with the traffic violators for last nine days and were also harassing the innocent road users. For their “unbecoming” attitude, the policemen at many places also faced public ire and resentments.