Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

City police to recruit over 200 youth as traffic monitors

G. Anand

To overcome the gaps in traffic enforcement caused by lack of adequate number of policemen

Thiruvananthapuram: The police are planning to recruit more than 200 youth for regulating traffic in the city.

City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham said healthy men between the age of 21 and 24 would be selected after written and physical tests to serve as "traffic monitors" on a temporary basis alongside policemen. The police would verify the background of the selected candidates.

The recruits would be put through a "capsule course" having several components of police constable training. The recruits would be taught the routine police drill bar training in the use of firearms.

The emphasis of the training would be on traffic regulation. The police are also planning a passing out parade for those who successfully complete the course.

The salary for traffic monitors has been fixed at Rs.2000. Several educational institutions, private organisations and commercial establishments have agreed to meet the expense. The uniform of traffic monitors would be similar to that of the police constables.

However, they would have no authority to slap fines or prosecute lawbreakers. The monitors would regulate traffic and report traffic violations to the constable or sub inspector in charge of the sector.

The move to recruit traffic monitors is aimed at overcoming the gaps in traffic enforcement caused by the lack of adequate number of policemen. The strength of the traffic police constabulary has remained the same since 1994.

There has been a 10-fold increase in the number of vehicles plying in the city. Nearly 300 men work on two shifts of six hours each for regulating traffic in the city.

Traffic policemen cover only major junctions. As many as 200 points in the city, including minor junctions and congested areas in front of educational institutions, need traffic regulators for ensuring the smooth vehicular flow. The traffic monitors are expected to meet this demand. They would also be deployed for regulating traffic during political rallies and religious functions. The service of traffic monitors would be extended to commercial establishments and even marriage halls for a fixed amount.

Mobile exhibition

The police are also planning a mobile exhibition to create traffic awareness among citizens, particularly students using two-wheelers.

An old police bus is being altered as a platform for the exhibition.

Short films emphasising the need to fasten seat belts in cars and use protective headgear while riding two-wheelers would be screened along with one elaborating the danger of using mobile phones while driving. `Red Alert,' the traffic awareness film made by the police department would be screened. Policemen would also perform a street play with comic elements to highlight the dangers of drunken driving and over speeding.

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