Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu instructed officials to concentrate on educating motorists rather than issuing challans regarding traffic violations. He said that the people who were driving without helmets or seat belts must be made aware of the rules first. Challans must be given only if they commit the violation again.
The Chief Minister did not agree to the officials' proposal to issue large numbers of challans immediately. Strict enforcement without awareness amongst citizens will only create fear, he explained. During a review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday, he made it clear that after the first offense, awareness messages should be sent to violators' phones. If fines are imposed later, citizens will understand they are being penalized for their own mistakes, he has said. He advised the officials to study Kerala's model for such awareness programs.
Chandrababu Naidu instructed the officials to accord priority to measures preventing road accidents. He wanted a detailed study and constructive plan to avoid accidents, stampedes, and fire incidents. A standard operating procedure (SOP) should be prepared and submitted within a week.
He also recommended the use of CCTV cameras to monitor the traffic situation and avoid accidents. He ordered the installation of effective crowd management systems to avoid stampedes at places of congestion. He said some roads continue to be in bad shape and must be repaired quickly. Also, he asked officials to hold job fairs in all districts and take up awareness programs to help jobless youth find jobs.
Naidu said that though the registration services are better compared to the past, several areas caused public dissatisfaction and senior officials should monitor such services closely and resolve issues fast. He wished to see improvement in the registration services within two and a half months.
During the review, the Chief Minister also examined the progress of other public welfare schemes like sanitation, ration distribution, and Deepam-2.
