Bangalore:
Illegal crossing, jumping grills and road dividers, and crossing railway tracks when the gate is down will now invite arrest on the spot in Karnataka's capital Bangalore and will also attract a fine. Encroachments on footpaths, and parking or riding on footpaths will also amount to violation.
The arrested person will then be produced in court and will have to pay a fine, which could range from RS 100 to Rs 500. This month, 326 people have been arrested by the city police for jaywalking.
In Bangalore, where one can find himselg stuck in the infamous traffic, walking can often get you to your destination faster. However, this could also mean more accidents. In 2012 and 2013, that 53 per cent of accident victims in Bangalore were pedestrians , data from traffic managers reveals.
"Our focus is not on arresting or fining them but to keep them alive. Crossing on highways, particularly without following rules, can be very dangerous." said MA Saleem, Additional Commissioner for Traffic in Bangalore.
As part of the pedestrian safety drive, more than 3000 school students participated in a painting competition to create awareness on pedestrian traffic rules. "It keeps us safe, so we should always follow traffic rules." said Prithika, a fifth grade student of a private school in Bangalore.
"Bangalore is in our hands, we should make it a better place for our kids. They are our tomorrow. What are we doing today." asked popular Kannada star Sudip who was present at the painting event.