Rajkhowa advocates 'help lines' for highway commuters

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, June 10: Aruchal Pradesh Governor J P Rajkhowa on Thursday called for setting up of ‘help-lines’ especially for people travelling in the highways.

The governor’s observation came after a series of incidents of harassment and way laid of vehicles in Assam which, came to light in the aftermath of the recent incident involving his wife Rita Rajkhowa on June 4 last while she was travelling from Guwahati to Itagar, a Raj Bhawan communiqué informed.

The vehicle in which governor’s wife was travelling was chased by some miscreants, overtaking it three times, but due to his extraordiry efficient, courageous and intelligent driving, the Raj Bhavan driver Jitumoni th maged to wriggle out of the situation.

However, on being alerted, Assam police arrested five persons involved in the incident the next day.

Rajkhowa emphasised that Aruchal DGP in coordition with his Assam counterpart must set up a mechanism to provide at least three mobile helpline numbers in addition to one or more landline numbers and email addresses, so that common public travelling in Assam and at the same time those travelling in Aruchal Pradesh can avail timely assistance whenever they require. The governor appealed to the people, particularly those victims of harassments, humiliations, forced extortions and other illegal activities on the highways to come forward and file formal complaint with details of the incidences to respected SPs in the districts and DGP, so that the authorities could take up the matters with their counterparts in other states.

He also advised those affected persons to send a copy to Raj Bhavan so as to eble him to take up the issues with his counterparts.

“Such actions on the part of the common public will help in taking necessary measures by the state governments to bring an end to these anti-social activities,” he added.

Reiterating on having regular ‘Highway Police Patrolling’ in Assam particularly, Itagar-Guwahati, Joi-Tezpur, Nowgaon-Jagun routes, the governor also suggested for such mechanism in Itagar-Hollongi, Itagar-Ziro and other roads.

He also stressed on surprise checking by the state police to instil a sense of security amongst the commuters.

Rajkhowa advised the people, particularly the drivers to be cautious in the highway against unscrupulous and anti-social elements, the communiqué added.