Hyderabad: Beware of speeding on the Mannanur-Domalapenta route in the Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) limits! Forest officials will now use speed laser weapons that ATR recently purchased to strictly enforce speed limits. Officials are currently deploying speed laser guns to raise awareness among vehicle users and will begin penalising them after a while if they continue to exceed speed limits.

Vehicles in ATR are allowed to go at a maximum speed of 40 kilometres per hour, but this is rarely observed. As a result of many motorists travelling at high speeds, wild animals are killed or injured in accidents daily. A spotted deer was killed by a car in Boredibavi, near Vatavarlapally, on Saturday morning.

According to a senior ATR official, speed laser guns were purchased to ensure that cars stayed under the speed limit and to regulate and prevent accidents that killed wild animals or caused significant injuries.

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The Mannanur–Domalapenta route, which goes to Srisailam, is a high-traffic zone. Despite the presence of speed restriction signs in various locations, most vehicles are driven at speeds ranging from 60 to 80 kilometres per hour.

As a precaution, the Forest Service does not allow vehicles on the route between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Despite these precautions, wild animals continue to be killed in ATR bounds, according to him, with roughly 40 to 50 incidents reported each month.

"At present, we got a speed laser gun and trial runs are being conducted. There are plans to procure a few more, but we will first create awareness among motorists on the adverse impact of overspeeding in this region for a couple of months. After obtaining approval from higher authorities, fines will also be laid for overspeeding," the official explained.

Forest officials will use speed laser guns to capture photographs of the vehicles and will impose penalties on violators. The high-speed laser guns will be stationed at critical spots, and patrolling vehicle teams and other officials will halt violators at Mannanur checkpoint or Domalapenta end, equipped with images.

R&B Dept. Turns Deaf Ear

The Amrabad Tiger Reserve's (ATR) request for 22-speed breakers on the Mannanur to Domalpenta segment has failed to receive a response from the Roads and Building Department's roads arm.

ATR authorities identified 22 accident-prone spots last year and recommended the R & B department install speed breakers to reduce vehicle speeds. There has yet to be a response, but a top ATR official stated that they hope to be set up in the coming fiscal year.