Jaywalking drive resumes, 28 fined

The Mumbai traffic police in conjunction with Hindustan Times, conducted a second anti-jaywalking drive outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the Metro subway.

The Mumbai traffic police in conjunction with Hindustan Times, conducted a second anti-jaywalking drive outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the Metro subway.

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In the first drive conducted from September 7 to 11, 212 pedestrians were caught by the police.

This time, more than half of the 28 fined were college students.

Almost all pedestrians caught were clueless about the earlier jaywalking drives conducted by the police.

“I don’t even know what jaywalking means,” said Vedika Singh Rathod (19), a student of Jai-Hind College.

Other pedestrians, comprising office-goers, government servants and deliverymen demanded that notices be put up either warning people about the drive, or stating that using subways was compulsory.

“How come there were no awareness campaigns about this? People shouldn’t be fined without warning,” said Rushi Patel (26), a Birla Sun Life employee and Thane resident who was caught near the Metro subway, which had a Hindustan Times advertisement atop a high rise building warning against jaywalking.

Towards the end of the drive, a BMC official, Dinesh Dvaiti (39) was caught and confessed to knowing about jaywalking rules.

“We built the subway. Of course I know the rules,” he said, looking very sheepish and explaining he was in a hurry.

A passing pedestrian, DB Shetty (38), a sales executive, striding towards the metro subway entrance, looked on and exclaimed,

“This is the Indian mentality at work. This sort of drive will at least tell people to be careful”.