Vehicle checking in Steel City to ensure compliance of Covid safety norms

To make sure that vehicle checking does not get hampered because of the ongoing monsoon season, the district administration, in cooperation with the Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Ltd, is constructing makeshift hangers on a temporary basis at the inter-district checking points.

With motorists in Steel City not complying with the Covid-19 safety protocols even after the cops conducting a special awareness drive on following the safety norms here on Saturday, police have launched a vehicle checking drive to ensure that people wear masks and maintain social distancing norms while driving, failing which they will be booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act.

SSP M Tamil Vanan said, “We have banned pillion riding on two-wheelers and five-seater cars cannot have more than two passengers inside. The person on the wheels and others on-board have to wear a mask or action will be taken against them.”

A 38-year-old videographer, who lives in Kadma, on condition of anonymity said that on Friday, he was stopped at Sakchi for having a pillion rider on his motorbike. “"We both were wearing masks and I was wearing a helmet but police stopped me at Sakchi for pillion riding,” the videographer said.

In addition, within the next three days police will lodge cases under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 if the vehicle documents are not up to date or if anyone is caught driving without a helmet or a seat belt, the SSP added.

To make sure that vehicle checking does not get hampered because of the ongoing monsoon season, the district administration, in cooperation with the Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Ltd, is constructing makeshift hangers on a temporary basis at the inter-district checking points, namely Domuhani-Kanderbera river overbridge in Sonari, Tata-Gamharia toll bridge in Kadma and Jamshedpur-Adityapur overbridge in Bistupur, in order to provide shelter to the cops during rains.

With the coronavirus cases crossing the 200-mark in East Singhbhum, the district administration is appealing to the people to avoid stepping out unless it is necessary and wear a masks whenever they do. “Self-compliance with the safety rules will keep a person and his respective family safe from contracting the virus,” said district civil surgeon Maheshwar Prasad.