The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Chaos on the road: many policemen, same job

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Friday, Jan 05, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Chaos on the road: many policemen, same job

Marri Ramu

CONCENTRATED FORCES: Traffic policemen issuing challans to erring motorists at Rasoolpura junction. — Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: "Dearth of manpower." This is the oft-repeated reply from higher ups of the Police Department whenever a demand is made for posting a policeman to regulate traffic at junctions reeling under traffic chaos.

But the way city traffic policemen stand in groups at centres like Rasoolpura in the name of regulating vehicles is contradicting the claims of their bosses. This unusual `team spirit' shown by policemen even during peak hours is leaving commuters dazed.

While all the men and officers posted at an intersection move in a group and are busy chasing a single erring vehicle driver, hundreds of others jump signals and drive off while using mobile phones. It has become a common sight on city roads to see policemen leisurely collecting details from the driver and scribbling penalty amounts. "Those policemen standing around the Sub-Inspector can focus on other erring drivers or can be posted at other points for streamlining flow of vehicles," feels M. Satish of Alwal. Passengers say such under-utilisation of the force is common at other place like Paradise and Lamba Theatre. Two home guards, a constable and an SI assemble at a corner of the intersection even as a number of vehicles try to criss-cross.

With some vehicles zooming past red signals and some more parking cars on the road along Hyderabad House, traffic snarls reign supreme.

Better handling

Three to five policemen are posted at a junction for better handling of the tricky traffic situation, Punjagutta Traffic ACP Ram Sudhakar says. Are the officials failing to notice how their subordinates are implementing their directions and cannot the force be evenly distributed? "Our instructions are clear. But some of them might be mistaken. We'll set things right if they come to our notice," says the ACP.

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