Latest news with #BhushanBorase
Time of India
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
GIT flags engg flaw on NH-48 curve; NHAI urged to act soon
Pic: The stretch on NH-48 between Pune and Bengaluru has been marked as a black spot Belagavi: Professors from KLS Gogte Institute of Technology (GIT), Belagavi, identified a critical engineering flaw in the construction of Pune-Bengaluru National Highway-48 at the Badekollamath curve, an accident-prone stretch located about 18km from the city. The curve has been the scene of 18 accidents in recent years and has been officially designated a black spot by police. Acting on a request from Belagavi City police commissioner Bhushan Borase, GIT conducted a technical survey of the spot. The findings, submitted to the police department, were forwarded to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for immediate corrective action. The survey, carried out by professors Archana Shagoti, Somanath Khot, and Kartik Kulkarni, revealed serious deficiencies in the road's geometric design, especially at a descending curve. The team found that the curve's radius is only 220 metres, which is below the 230-metre minimum recommended by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) for areas with an 80 km/h speed limit. Additionally, the report points to a dangerous narrowing of the carriageway near an underpass — from 11.1 metres to just 9.5 metres — greatly increasing the risk of collisions. The GIT team also observed frequent overspeeding on the undulating terrain and poor lane discipline, further contributing to the high accident rate. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Do you have a mouse? Desert Order Undo While some safety measures like rumble strips and concrete crash barriers were already put in place, the professors found these interventions to be insufficient given the severity of the issue. Urgent recommendations To mitigate further accidents, the report recommends strict enforcement of a reduced speed limit of 65 km/h with clearly visible signage, installation of flashing warning lights at regular intervals, replacement of outdated guardrails with modern crash barriers, enhanced lane discipline through improved road markings, and deployment of smart surveillance cameras. Legal provisions for accountability Speaking to TOI, police commissioner Bhushan Borase said the role of police is to identify accident-prone black spots and submit the report to the relevant authorities. "There is a Supreme Court-appointed high-power committee on road safety, which directs police to report such sites. If the authorities fail to rectify the problem, contractors can be held liable and blacklisted under Section 198(A) of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019," he stated. Borase also noted that the curve sees a spike in accidents during the monsoon, underlining the urgency for infrastructural intervention.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Time of India
Our goal is to cut daily travel time of commuters: Top cop
Belagavi: The volume of fines collected from traffic violators is not a measure of our efficiency. For me, reducing public travel time is the real priority, said Bhushan Borase, commissioner of Belagavi City police. Speaking at a media interaction organised by Belagavi Print Media Association at Vartha Bhavan on Wednesday, Borase said it's traffic regulation and not revenue collection that is his focus. Since taking charge a month ago, he redirected 90% of traffic police from fine collection duties to enforcement and traffic management. "The govt hasn't given us any targets for fine collection. If we can save 10 minutes daily of a citizen's travel time, that's significant, and that's our goal," he added. Borase also highlighted changes brought to the fine collection process for the convenience of the public. "Now, violators receive a message on WhatsApp followed by a formal notice. Earlier, they had to visit police stations to pay fines. Now, they can pay at Belagavi One centres," he said. Infra and traffic flow The commissioner cited potholes as a major cause of traffic slowdown in Belagavi. "The city has roads maintained by the NHAI, PWD, BCC, and Cantonment Board. We have written to all relevant authorities to urgently address the issue and are awaiting responses," Borase stated. He also revealed that nearly 4,000 trucks move in and out of the city daily. To decongest the roads, police have now fixed specific timings for truck movement, especially during peak hours. Borase said the city is collaborating with the Bengaluru police consultancy service to conduct a comprehensive traffic survey for short, medium, and long-term planning. "We are also consulting bus, truck, and auto drivers before implementing any new measures," the commissioner noted. Meanwhile, the officer urged people to share their suggestions and feedback on: "The department is focusing on increasing the number of paid parking areas across the city." Narcotics crackdown Addressing the growing concern of drug abuse in Belagavi, Borase admitted that the efforts so far are inadequate. "What we are doing is not even 1%. When both buyer and seller are in agreement, it becomes difficult to trace. If we raid one place, they shift to another. Today, transactions happen via the darknet and e-commerce sites. There is a long way to go," he said.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Time of India
New police commissioner steps up crime control, streamlines traffic management
Belagavi: Since taking charge a month ago, Belagavi city police commissioner Bhushan Borase has launched a series of initiatives aimed at curbing crime and improving traffic management in the city. The results are already becoming evident. Under commissioner Borase's leadership, the police intensified crackdowns on drug peddlers, matka bookies, and illegal gamblers. Habitual offenders were warned of stringent action, including the invocation of the Goonda Act or potential exile from the district. Statistics reveal a significant surge in enforcement activity since Jan this year, particularly over the past month. Police conducted 20 raids targeting drug peddlers since Jan, with the majority taking place in the last 30 days, resulting in 41 arrests. Additionally, 23 individuals were apprehended in narcotic drug consumption cases during the same period. Notably, the number of raids in the past month is the highest recorded in the last three years, as compared to 25 raids in 2024 and 23 in 2023. Similarly, 95 cases against matka bookies and gamblers were registered in Belagavi police stations since Jan, leading to the arrest of 256 individuals. Most of these cases were also filed within the past month. In comparison, 123 cases were registered in 2023 and 124 in 2024, with total arrests numbering 411 and 326 respectively. Speaking to the TOI, commissioner Borase said, "This is not a one or two-month activity. We will persistently trace those involved in illegal activities such as narcotic drug peddling, matka, gambling, and more." In a significant overhaul of traffic enforcement, Borase reduced the number of personnel involved in penalising traffic violators by 90%, replacing them with advanced technology. For over a week now, the police have utilised CCTV cameras, body-worn cameras, and smartphones to capture traffic violations. Penalty challans are digitally sent to offenders, streamlining the process and reducing human intervention. The staff previously assigned for fine collection have been redeployed to focus on traffic management duties, marking a major shift. "I urge the people of Belagavi to support the police department as we work towards a safer and better-managed city," the officer said.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Belagavi police shift focus to traffic regulation, adopt tech-based enforcement
Belagavi: In a major initiative to streamline traffic, Belagavi City Police redeployed 90% of its personnel from penalising traffic violators to managing traffic flow across the city. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The move aims to address growing public concerns over poor traffic regulation due to police personnel being preoccupied with issuing penalties. City police commissioner Bhushan Borase, in an official video statement, announced that the enforcement of traffic rules will now rely heavily on technology. "Instead of stopping vehicles on the road, we will use CCTV cameras installed under the Smart City project across the city, body-worn cameras, and mobile phones to capture violations. Penalty challans will be sent directly to the vehicle owner's WhatsApp number or via SMS digitally," he explained. Borase emphasised that police officers who were earlier focused on penalising riders without helmets or drivers without seatbelts will now be tasked with traffic management duties at key junctions to ease congestion. Addressing another civic concern, the commissioner said the department wrote to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Public Works Department (PWD), and Belagavi City Corporation (BCC), urging them to promptly repair pothole-ridden roads, which are hindering smooth traffic movement. He also appealed to citizens to support the initiative by following basic safety norms such as wearing helmets and fastening seatbelts.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Time of India
Belagavi to press Arms Act for possession of weapons, top cop warns
Belagavi: Criminal activities in Belagavi district, which shares its borders with Maharashtra and Goa, has seen an uptick this year, posing a challenge to law-keepers. Bhushan Borase, the city police commissioner, told the media even minors were roaming around with deadly weapons. A special team has been formed to prevent such trends and this team has hit the ground going from Thursday itself, he added. "If deadly weapons, including knives and swords, are found in possession of any individual, a case will be registered directly under the Arms Act. We will also open a rowdy sheet," the CP warned. Arms Act, 1959, mandates licensing for possession of firearms, with specific provisions for different types of weapons and ammunition. In keeping with the stringent provisions under certain sections of this Act, an arrested person can secure bail only from the court as no station bail is allowed. While there were 85 murders and 185 attempted murder cases in entire 2024, these numbers were surpassed by the end of April 2025 itself. In addition, 107 riots and several Pocso cases were also recorded across the district in the first four months of this year. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bangladesh: Unsold Sofas at Bargain Prices (View Current Prices) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo More than 300 cases of violence were registered over the last five months in the district, including 33 murders and 70 attempted murders – stats that are keeping personnel at the 49 police stations in the district on their toes. Santosh Dharekar, a social activist, said DCP Seema Latkar, while she was posted in Belagavi, had formed a team called 'Channamma Pade' comprising female police personnel. This team not only worked to maintain law and order in Belagavi city, but also created awareness among the public against criminal activities. However, with the initiative gradually discontinued, criminal activities are yet again on the rise. Police also revealed that minors were involved in the stabbing of a man on a bus at the central bus stand two days ago. Two people were taken into custody within 10 hours of the incident. Pic: The Belagavi City police commissioner's office
