The State government will introduce a continuous 24/7 enforcement system on the national highways (NHs) in the State to curb over-speeding, accidents, and other traffic offences. For this, the NHs passing through Kerala will be divided into six enforcement zones of approximately 100 km each, and special enforcement teams will be deployed in each zone, Transport Minister C. P. John informed here on Tuesday.The main objective of the enforcement system is to prevent over-speeding, accidents, and traffic violations while ensuring increased visibility on the NHs. The new decision comes against the backdrop of an assessment that over-speeding is the main cause of road accidents. Apart from preventing traffic violations, reducing accident-related deaths is another major objective of the State by deploying Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) enforcement teams around the clock on the NHs.The NHs will be divided into six operational zones across South, Central, and North Kerala. Two South Zones will be under the supervision of the Thiruvananthapuram Deputy Transport Commissioner, one Central Zone each will be supervised by the Thrissur and Ernakulam Deputy Transport Commissioners, and two North Zones will be under the control of the Kozhikode Deputy Transport Commissioner. The exact starting and ending km limits of each zone will be determined separately by the respective Deputy Transport Commissioners, the Minister said.In each zone, special enforcement teams will be formed comprising officers from Enforcement RTO offices, RTO offices, and Sub-RTO offices. Motor Vehicle Inspectors, Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspectors, drivers, and department vehicles equipped with the necessary inspection equipment will be part of the teams. It has also been directed that officers be assigned from various offices on a rotational basis and that duties be distributed evenly during the day, evening, and night to ensure there is no disruption to office operations.The main priority is to detect over-speeding, dangerous driving, drunk driving, the use of mobile phones while driving, failure to wear seat belts and helmets, overloaded goods vehicles, illegal vehicle modifications, fitness, permit, insurance and tax violations, and illegal passenger transport.The Minister also directed that, in the event of major accidents, immediate intervention should be undertaken by removing the vehicles involved in accidents or causing traffic disruptions with the assistance of the police and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and dangerous stretches should be identified and reported.Instead of conducting long-term inspections at a single location, a system of continuous mobile patrolling along the NHs will be adopted, the Minister said. Flash inspections at various locations, joint inspections with the police when necessary, technical surveillance using cameras and digital devices, legal action based on NHAI camera footage, and special surveillance during holidays and festivals will also be carried out.Deputy Transport Commissioners will directly supervise enforcement activities in their respective areas. They have been instructed to conduct flash inspections, verify the deployment of officers using GPS data, evaluate daily operations, ensure increased inspections in high-risk areas, hold weekly review meetings with RTOs and enforcement officers, and maintain coordination with district police chiefs, the NHAI, and the Public Works Department (PWD).The Minister also directed that officers must wear uniforms and reflective safety jackets at all times while on duty. Body cameras, speed detection devices, and digital enforcement systems should be used wherever available. The safety of officials during night inspections should be given the utmost priority, and the Deputy Transport Commissioners should ensure the availability of the necessary vehicles, communication systems, and other facilities, according to a statement issued by the Minister. The Minister also warned that any lapse in the formation of enforcement teams, preparation of duty rosters, continuous deployment, or supervision would be viewed seriously. Published - July 28, 2026 07:09 pm IST