Gurugram introduces ‘Traffic Mitra’ volunteers to assist cops

Officials said that the traffic volunteers will replace road safety officers (RSO) who were working with police and the administration for last 18 years

The Gurugram traffic police on Saturday introduced the position of ‘Traffic Mitra’ or traffic volunteer for the city residents, who after being selected, will assist the cops in traffic regulation and enforcement across the city along with ensuring transparency during checkings.

DCP (traffic) Rajesh Kumar Mohan gives certificates to selected city residents for rigorously following traffic rules at Traffic Tower near Galleria Market in Gurugram on Saturday. (HT Photo)

Officials said that the residents who are keen to serve with them or are doing any kind of research or study in the field of traffic management can reach the Traffic tower located at Sushant Lok-I to fill-up a forma available there for the selection.

Officials said that the traffic volunteers or the mitras will virtually replace the road safety officers (RSO) who were working with the police and the administration for the last 18 years without any guidelines or standard operating procedures (SOPs).

DCP (traffic) Rajesh Kumar Mohan said that for the first time in Haryana that the concept of traffic volunteers has been introduced which is aimed to bring more transparency in enforcement, checkings, and during fine imposition on violators and they will also be roped-in for awareness programs.

“We have prepared a detailed SOP for their selection and working pattern. We will impart proper training to these volunteers before deploying them with zonal officers in the field,” he said, adding these things were missing for the road safety officers till now.

While felicitating five city residents for rigorously obeying traffic rules on Saturday under the ‘Drive Right, Shine Bright’ campaign started two months back to encourage and spread awareness among residents, DCP Mohan urged them to come forward to participate as volunteers which will be annually renewed.

Officials said those who will apply for volunteering, will have to undergo an interview for selection and will have to show the basic knowledge of traffic rules. They said these volunteers will also assist the cops during ‘drink and drive’ checking and may act as independent witnesses too.

Officials said that drivers on several occasions are enraged or become aggressive during checking and blame cops for irregularity or misbehaviour. In such situations, ‘traffic mitras’ will play a key role in ensuring impartiality, fair behaviour by cops and also by the commuters being checked.

The volunteers will be in civil uniforms and will be provided safety gears including reflective jackets at deployment location and they will have to deposit these items before departing to avoid misuse. Officials said that there were several complaints against RSOs for misuse of these jackets and their designation due to which now the cadre coming in place of them will be addressed as ‘volunteers’ or ‘mitras. As per officials, there are at least 70-75 RSOs right now engaged with the Gurugram traffic police.

Kanwariyas asked to use Dwarka expressway for return journey

The Gurugram traffic police had earmarked Dwarka expressway as the route to be used by the kanwariyas for their return journey.

Traffic police officials said that the expressway route has been earmarked to avoid trouble to them as well as to plug any kind of traffic snarl or pressure on NH-48 (Delhi-Jaipur expressway) or any other route.

DCP (traffic) Rajesh Kumar Mohan said that kanwariyas the return route is for those kanwariyas who need to reach Rajasthan, Bhiwari, Rewari, Narnaul, Mahendragarh, Manesar, Pataudi and Farrukhanagar. “Use of the earmarked route via Dwarka expressway for return journeys will mainly avoid any kind trouble to them as their journey time will be decreased,” he said.

The DCP said that they have put up boards and posters at several locations on the NH-48 to make the kanwariyas aware about the return-journey route.