‘Tyre Killers’ Soon On Odisha’s Twin Cities Roads To Check Wrong-Side Driving

Bhubaneswar: A day after a video of a woman pleading with traffic cops after her vehicle was seized for wrong-side driving went viral, the Commissionerate Police on Wednesday decided to put up spike barriers to stop this practice in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

The decision was taken to ensure safety of commuters and smooth movement of traffic in choked areas where drivers often opt for short cuts.

According to sources, 242 wrong-side points have been identified in these two cities and 32 among them have been marked as vulnerable. The spike barriers will be initially installed at a specific location between Bomikhal and Rasulgarh on an experimental basis and extended to other vulnerable spots on basis of its success, the sources added.

Briefing media, Twin City Police Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi said that people driving on the wrong side are currently being penalised to curb the menace. “Now, the spike barriers will puncture the tyres of those taking the wrong lane instantly,” he said.

He also requested the commuters not to violate traffic rules and then plead with police to let them go.

Notably, Pune was the first city to install the tyre killers. These, however, had to be removed following safety concerns. Hyderabad and Noida too had opted for spike barriers to prevent the errant drivers from taking the wrong route. The decision had evoked a mixed response among residents of Noida.