By Maxwell Pereira
What were the achievements of the The Delhi Traffic Police in 2002? Is it the number of prosecutions against traffic violators or the number of successful enforcement drives against different type of offenders? Is success measured in terms of public satisfaction and if so is anyone ever satisfied with the Traffic Police?
The year 2002 saw special emphasis for general public convenience and improvement in traffic flows. Commissioning of many a flyover, subways and other engineering Infrastructural developments helped. Removal of encroachment on chosan 11 travel corridors jointly with local police and civic agencies further helped. So did emphasis on parking discipline, as 450,210 vehicles were penalised for improper/obstructive parking.
The adverse impact of the heterogeneous nature of road user traffic categories was reduced with 36,124 traffic prosecutions against slow moving vehicles also entailing impounding.
Among impacting successful drives, the year started with the enforcement of seatbelt regulations - widely acclaimed as the most successful drive ever undertaken by Traffic Police. So did the effort at reducing noise pollution by penalising those who used horns at traffic intersections, attract world attention. Something else that attracted the International media was the unbelievable fact that India could at last come up with something to tackle the beggar menace on its roads. The innovative step the Traffic Police took to penalise those who encouraged begging by giving alms and vending by buying wares at road intersections, deserved the credit. And the successful implementation of the Supreme Court's directions banning transiting of non-destined heavy vehicles through Delhi had its impact.
Areas like Lajpat Nagar, Rafi Marg, Greater Kailash, Moti Nagar, Yusuf Sarai, etc. had better treatment with the introduction of innovataive traffic management schemes introduced. That traffic flows benefited immensely through the removal of conflicting turning movements with closure of over 250 gaps in the central medians on main travel corridors, is much appreciated refrain - the Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, GT Road, Mehrauli-Mehipalpur Raod, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Mathura Road and many other such having benefited by this measure. The computerised Area Traffic Control system of managing traffic signals, specially in the New Delhi and Central district of Delhi has given the citizens an insatiable taste for uninterrupted green flows - so much so, the phenomenal and commonplace inconveniences due to rallies and agitations, VIP movements and diversions that are a hallmark of Delhi's traffic have become screaming irritants attracting widespread condemnation and criticism at the slightest occasion.
Over-speeding in the city was effectively tackled - with 161,365 prosecutions for violating speed limits. The 96 radar guns backed up by the two new interceptors with video recording facility and the red - speed cameras that click with a hidden eye to record violations, did help discipline motorists and prosecute 49,576 others for driving dangerously. A 22 percent jump in the enforcement activity with 35.41 lakh prosecutions in 2002 against 29.4 lakh of 2001 resluted in realisation of Rs. 33.55 crore on the spot as compounding fees. Only the ill-informed and the mischievous would view this determined effort of the Traffic Police to bring to book traffic violators in greater numbers than earlier possible as an effort to fill the Government's coffers and not as a measure for disciplining aberrators. Even so, the fines realised through the Traffic Police enforcement did enrich the exchequer by
Rs. 46.42 crore in 2002 as against Rs. 44.4 crore of 2001.
No less a feather in cap was to be chosen by the government of India for imparting training in traffic management to foreign trainees - from Nepal and especially Afganistan.The greatest achievement Though comes from the fact of reducing the overall accident statistics of the city, With 146 less lives lost on Delhi roads in 2002 as against the number that died in 2001. The year had specially been dedicated to improving the lot of the pedestrians; so it was heartening that 108 less number of pedestrians were victims on Delhi roads in 2002.
Following the annual press conference of Delhi Traffic Police on 11 January, it was interesting to see the varied treatment meted out by different segments of the media - who in large numbers marked their eminent presence at the media interaction. While the sincerity of purpose with which many a scribe approached his/her task of carrying the news or information to reach their own segment of the reader public was commendable, the apparent vitriol dipped pen of some others was admittedly and sadly appalling. And less said the better on yet other write-ups handled by enthusiastic young cubs whose level of ignorance and need to educate themselves in technical aspects of traffic management, perhaps should be the concern of their editors if not of the entire community they hope to serve as watchdogs of the fourth estate.
© copyright : Maxwell Pereira
Courtesy Mid Day, dated January 15 , 2002
Back |
