E-Paper
‘Misuse of traffic marshals’: ADGP seeks report from Ludhiana Police
The ADGP has requested the commissioner of police to get the matter enquired through a deputy commissioner of police or assistant commissioner of police-rank officer and submit the ATR within seven days
The additional director general of police, traffic, has sought an action taken report from the Ludhiana Police following a resident’s complaint over the traffic police personnel ‘misusing their powers’ and deploying traffic marshals to stop vehicles and issue challans instead of manning traffic at critical junctures.
The ADGP has requested the commissioner of police to get the matter enquired through a deputy commissioner of police or assistant commissioner of police-rank officer and submit the ATR within seven days.
Kapil Arora, a resident of BRS Nagar, had filed a complaint with the ADGP, traffic, against two personnel of zone-3 of traffic police for using volunteers engaged to control traffic to stop vehicles and issue challans rather than deputing them at critical junctures to ease the flow of traffic.
The complainant said that he has also recorded the videos of traffic police indulging in this practice near municipal corporation’s zone D office in Sarabha Nagar while maintaining a safe distance.
He further said that when he asked the officials regarding the same, one of the police personnel threatened him that charges will be framed against him for making videos and taking photographs.
The complainant also sought protection from wrong allegations under the provisions of the Whistle-Blowers Act. He requested the ADGP to take action against the officials for misusing their powers.
Who are Traffic marshals
The traffic marshal scheme was launched in January 2020 on the lines of Chandigarh. As many as 336 residents had registered within a week of the launch and the number rose to around 5,000 during the Covid period. As per sources, only a few marshals are currently active in the city.
These marshals include persons aged between 20 to 62 years, who volunteer to assist the traffic police to manage the flow of vehicles, taking a few hours from their schedule.
