Efforts intensified to strengthen road safety, end VIP culture, empower VDPs
From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH, Oct 30: In a series of initiatives aimed at improving law enforcement, promoting community vigilance and ensuring road discipline, the Ri-Bhoi Police, under Senior Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivekanand Singh Rathore, have stepped up their efforts across key areas—from traffic safety and anti-VIP culture enforcement to strengthening the Village Defence Parties (VDPs) at the grassroots level.
Promoting road safety awareness among drivers
As part of a continuing campaign to improve driver behaviour and reduce road accidents, the Ri-Bhoi Police on Thursday conducted a behavioural awareness programme for truck drivers at the Umsning Bypass along National Highway-6.
The exercise, led by SSP Rathore, focused on teaching truck drivers proper lane discipline and safe driving practices through a hands-on demonstration. Truck drivers were asked to drive on the left lane, right lane, and in a zigzag pattern to compare experiences. Feedback collected later showed that most drivers found keeping to the left lane more convenient and lawful.
“We have been serious about road safety for months and the results are visible. Illegal truck parking along the Byrnihat–Jorabat stretch has largely been resolved. The visual demonstration helps drivers understand more effectively than speeches, given the language barriers among them,” Rathore said.
He added that videos from the session would soon be uploaded for public viewing to create wider awareness. “Our intent is not to penalise drivers but to make roads safer. Road safety is non-negotiable, and our efforts will continue,” he affirmed.
Bolstering VDPs for crime prevention
In another major initiative, the Ri-Bhoi Police have accelerated the constitution of VDPs across the district to improve community participation in maintaining law and order.
Rathore said that nearly 50 per cent of the villages in the district have already formed VDPs, with around 300 teams officially notified so far. The process to cover all 650 villages is expected to be completed within the next few months.
“The Meghalaya Police Act empowers us to form VDPs in every village, and in bigger ones, we can have multiple teams. The recent increase in monthly allowance for VDPs from ₹300 to ₹3,000 by the state government is a welcome step and will greatly encourage our volunteers,” he said.
The SSP emphasised that VDPs act as the “eyes and ears” of the police, especially in crime prevention involving women and children. “Most serious crimes have early warning signs such as stalking or harassment. Timely information from VDPs can help prevent these crimes,” he noted.
VDP members are also issued ID cards and are often called upon to act as independent witnesses during police investigations. Rathore has urged VDPs to coordinate with local police before conducting village-level checks to avoid misunderstandings.
“The strengthening of VDPs will immensely help us in maintaining law and order, combating drug abuse, and ensuring community safety. We thank the Chief Minister, Home Minister, Chief Secretary and DGP for supporting this initiative,” he said.
Crackdown on VIP culture, traffic violations
Reiterating the government’s directive to end VIP culture, Rathore said the Ri-Bhoi Police have been instructed to treat all citizens equally during road checks and enforcement drives. “The state government has made it very clear they want to stop this VIP culture and we are very serious about it. We have got strict instructions from the government and the police headquarters. That’s why you might have seen recently that we check each and every vehicle—whether it’s a VIP travelling in the vehicle or a poor person traveling in the vehicle; and if any violation is made by these vehicles, action will be taken against them as per law,” he said.
The SSP also stated that police drivers and those in VIP escorts are being sensitised to follow all traffic norms. “They have been instructed not to overtake from the left and to use sirens only when absolutely necessary. Sirens should never be used near schools or hospitals as they disturb children and patients,” he added.
Rathore underlined the importance of patience and discipline while driving, even in emergency situations. “It makes no sense to rush to save a life only to cause another accident on the way,” he said, adding that all officers-in-charge have been directed to brief their drivers daily.
He further revealed that all police vehicles moving across the district are now tasked to stop and warn violators whenever they encounter traffic rule breaches.
Citizens have also been urged to assist the police by sharing photos or videos of violations through WhatsApp to the Ri-Bhoi Police Control Room (6909300160). “If 50 police vehicles moving around the district stay alert to violations, enforcement will become far more effective. We want public participation—record it, send it and we assure you that action will follow,” he said.
A multi-pronged approach to safer policing
The three initiatives—road safety awareness, strengthening of VDPs, and ending VIP culture—reflect the district police’s comprehensive approach to improving safety, accountability and public confidence.
Through proactive enforcement and community partnerships, the Ri-Bhoi Police aim to build a culture of discipline, equality and cooperation that extends from the highways to the remotest villages of the district.
