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MVD drive to put brakes on unsafe Onam celebrations on campuses in Kozhikode
The Hindu
Fine slapped on owners of altered vehicles spotted on premises of colleges
A four-day special drive to track altered vehicles is under way in Kozhikode city to put brakes on unhealthy celebrations during the Onam season.
The drive launched by the Motor Vehicles department (MVD) will focus on schools and colleges where some students are reportedly gearing up for high-spirited celebrations with stunt driving and road racing.
On Friday, the special squad led by Assistant Motor Vehicles Inspector (AMVI) P. Shyjan slapped fine on owners of 10 vehicles, including motorbikes and light motor vehicles, fitted with modified mechanical components. They were spotted on the premises of three colleges in the city.
“The special drive launched on Friday will go on till September 4 to ensure students’ safety during the festive season. We have completed our first round of flash inspections covering parking spots near various colleges,” said Mr. Shyjan. He added that the police would also initiate legal action against owners of altered vehicles.
There were even modified open vehicles used for off-road drives. Officials said students arranged the vehicles to organise public events and road shows despite instructions from the college authorities to avoid such celebrations.
A few higher secondary schools too are being closely watched as part of the drive. MVD officials said underage driving would be taken seriously, besides impounding vehicles. They also appealed to parents and heads of institutions to ensure vigil and report suspected incidents to enforcement squads for spot intervention.
The main reason behind the drive was previous cases of accidents on campuses during festive seasons. Those booked had been found using altered vehicles.