Safety on mind, teen cyclist moves HC

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 10

Riding towards safer cycle tracks, a Class VII student today approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court before suggesting the deployment of police personnel at the traffic signals for enabling cyclists to cross first.

Appearing before the Bench of Justice Amol Rattan Singh, Shaurya Sagar Sharma of a Sector 26 school said he cycled to the school daily and understood the difficulties faced by cyclists. Accompanied by his father, Shaurya told the Bench that he cycled daily from his house in Sector 49 to the school before presenting photographs underscoring the bad condition of cycle tracks.

Appreciating his efforts, Justice Amol Rattan Singh said such citizens, who helped in making the city better, were required.

  The Bench also asked amicus curiae or the friend of the court Reeta Kohli to respond to the suggestions by the next date of hearing. Interacting with the media outside the court, Shaurya said he had been cycling to school from his house for the past three years.

The Bench, during the course of the hearing, was also informed that the Chandigarh Traffic Police, from July 24 last week till January 8, had  issued 1,15,000 challans. Counsel for the UT Administration RS Rai added that the effort was required to be appreciated, considering that the entire exercise was carried out by just 600 policemen.

The Bench was also told that a penalty of Rs 10,000 had also been recommended for imposition on street vendors ignoring the rules. 

The High Court, in response, said this was hardly a solution as the possibility of a person issuing challans letting an offender go scot-free after pocketing money could not be ruled out. As such, the need of the hour was not just to draft rules but also to ensure implementation of these.

Says he understands cyclists’ difficulties

Appearing before the Bench of Justice Amol Rattan Singh, Shaurya Sagar Sharma of a Sector 26 school said he cycled to the school daily and understood the difficulties faced by cyclists. Accompanied by his father, Shaurya told the Bench that he cycled daily from his house in Sector 49 to the school. He suggested the deployment of police personnel at the traffic signals for enabling cyclists to cross first.