PANAJI
8,055 traffic sentinels reported a total of 2,21,779 traffic violations on roads under the Traffic Sentinel Scheme which was started by the Goa government in 2017. But in a significant move on 21 January, the State Cabinet decided to discontinue the much-hyped scheme.
During the same period, the State government collected a total of Rs 2.48 crore through fines and around Rs 1.81 crore disbursed back to traffic sentinels as part of their remuneration on points. At the closure of the scheme, around Rs 21.82 lakh is pending for payment to traffic sentinels.
The scheme was started on November 10, 2017, to increase traffic violation reporting. Around 8,055 traffic sentinels registered under the scheme. Interestingly, deaths on roads as a result of vehicular accidents came down appreciably after the scheme was introduced in the State.
Closing the scheme recently, the government however, said that some people misused this scheme and were working as full-time traffic sentinels. After an incident of an attack on a traffic sentinel, the Cabinet on July 15, 2020 had decided to stop the scheme, and then through a notification in July 2020 the home department halted the scheme temporarily.
But now, in a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the State government decided to shut down the scheme permanently.
