Peren district has issued a new SOP to strengthen enforcement against illegal parking on national highways through coordinated action, e-challans, towing, and surveillance systems.
DIMAPUR — District Magistrate, Peren, Hiazu Meru, has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) titled "Integrated Protocol for Monitoring, Enforcement, and Removal of Unauthorised Parked Vehicles on National Highways" to strengthen enforcement against illegal parking along national highways in the district.
According to a DIPR report, the SOP has been issued in strict compliance with the Supreme Court's directions and the Control of National Highways (Land & Traffic) Act, 2002.
It establishes a coordinated enforcement mechanism involving the district administration, road agencies, state police, and the Transport department to ensure the prompt removal of unauthorised parked vehicles and facilitate safe, unobstructed movement of traffic.
The enforcement team will comprise the additional deputy commissioner, Peren (HQ)/additional deputy commissioner, Jalukie; additional superintendent of police, Peren; regional transport officer, Kohima (in-charge of Peren); executive engineer, PWD (NH), Kohima (in-charge of Peren); extra assistant commissioner, Peren; extra assistant commissioner, Ngwalwa; officer-in-charge, NHIDCL, Peren; and PA to the deputy commissioner, Peren.
The team will oversee enforcement along NH-129A, covering the stretch from Km 109.494 to Km 173.850 within Peren district.
Under the SOP, patrolling units of NHIDCL and PWD (NH), along with State Police patrol teams, have been directed to capture GPS-stamped photographic evidence of vehicles found parked unauthorised on the carriageway or shoulder of national highways.
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NHIDCL and PWD (NH) will issue preliminary notices under the provisions of the Control of National Highways Act, 2002, directing vehicle owners to remove the vehicles within seven days.
Copies of the notices may also be served to the district magistrate.
If violations continue beyond the stipulated period, the district magistrate, in coordination with the state police, will initiate removal of the illegally parked vehicles.
The vehicles will be towed to designated locations using cranes and machinery provided by the road agencies under police supervision.
The SOP further mandates that all photographic evidence be forwarded immediately to the designated police officer (DPO) for formal processing and issuance of e-challans.
To maintain a centralised and transparent digital record, manual challans will not be issued by patrolling teams on the spot.
The Peren district police and the concerned line departments have also been directed to work towards establishing an Advance Traffic Management System (ATMS) capable of automatically detecting violations through video surveillance and transmitting the information directly to the Police department.
Additionally, a monthly summary of enforcement activities and outcomes will be presented before the District Highway Safety Task Force for review.
The SOP also requires NHIDCL and PWD (NH) to ensure that recovery cranes are stationed at intervals of not more than 75 kilometres to facilitate prompt enforcement and vehicle removal operations.