Mumbai traffic cops crack down on bikers on the Eastern Freeway

Traffic cops act against riders taking the Eastern Freeway, at Anik-Panjarpol stretch, on Thursday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Taking a serious note of mid-day's report highlighting the violation of traffic rules on the Eastern Freeway by two-wheeler riders, police have begun a strict crackdown on the violators and penalised them. Hours after mid-day's report was published on Wednesday, traffic police constables and officers were seen taking action against the riders on the Anik-Panjarpol stretch of the freeway. Officers caught and fined several on Thursday as well.

"Lots of Traffic Police on #EasternFreeway today & plenty of bikes caught, many even escaped by speeding on the right line... is this the impact of @mid_day highlighting the issue," @mumbaimatterz tweeted on Wednesday. Officers in charge of the Eastern Freeway stretch between Bhakti Park and Chembur, which falls under the Trombay traffic police division, said that they increase surveillance during peak hours in the mornings and evenings.

"On a daily basis, we take action against 20-25 bikers caught on the freeway in our jurisdiction. Majority of the violators are from Govandi, Deonar and Shivaji Nagar, and sometimes some of the two-wheelers don't even have registration numbers. There have been instances where rash riders tried to hurt us when we asked them to stop," Police Sub Inspector Avinash Kale told mid-day on Thursday.

Daily, two traffic police officers and five constables are stationed on the freeway to keep a watch on the riders, Kale added. There is a ban on the Eastern Freeway connecting South Mumbai to Chembur, however, riders still take the route and some even ride rashly, risking their lives.