E-Paper
Scheme discontinued, traffic marshals continue to man Ludhiana roads
The move by the traffic police comes a day after the additional director general of police, traffic, based on the complaint, sought a report from the Ludhiana Police regarding the ‘misuse of the traffic marshals’
: Traffic marshals continue to man city roads and are being ‘misused’ by the Ludhiana traffic police to stop vehicles and issue challans despite the scheme to deploy them to ease congestion at critical junctures have ceased to exist, according to a complaint filed by a resident, who was on Friday called to record his statement with the authorities concerned regarding the matter.
The local traffic police recorded the statement of the complainant, Kapil Arora, a resident of BRS Nagar. The move by the traffic police comes a day after the additional director general of police, traffic, based on the complaint, sought a report from the Ludhiana Police regarding the ‘misuse of the traffic marshals’.
Arora had filed a complaint with the ADGP, traffic, on June 7 against two police officials of Zone-3 of traffic police for using the volunteers engaged to control the traffic to stop the vehicles and issue challans instead of 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 police officials regarding the same, one of the them threatened him that charges will be framed against him for making videos and taking photographs.
The complainant, along with submitting his written statement, also submitted an RTI reply (a copy of which is with HT) by the traffic police to information sought by a resident in December last year, stating, “It is pertinent to note here that currently, no traffic marshal is officially serving with the Ludhiana Traffic Police.”
The RTI reply also mentions that the traffic marshals cannot stop any vehicle or check the documents. In reply to a question about written guidelines for traffic marshals, the RTI reply states that there are no written guidelines for traffic marshals.
It further added that the traffic marshals do not receive any monetary compensation from the department.
When asked about the official status of the marshals, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Varinder Singh Brar, said, “The marshals who are currently serving are only volunteering to assist the traffic police.” Action has been taken as per the directions of the ADGP and a report will be submitted, he added.
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. The traffic marshals were converted into ‘curfew enforcers’ during the Covid period after which the scheme had ceased to exist as only few people were actively participating, said a senior police official requesting anonymity.
