Gurgaon kids turn traffic cops, help police audit roads

The summer camp organised by Gurgaon traffic police helps kids understand traffic rules and also how to audit roads and analyse traffic.

Updated on: Jun 17, 2015, 11:56:07 IST

Hindustan Times | By Leena Dhankhar, Gurgaon

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The third batch of the summer camp organised by Gurgaon traffic police on Tuesday carried out the road audit of the Sector 51 road, which connects Baani Square mall with the arcadia intersection in Sector 51.

Major findings made during the road audit include narrow slip roads, large number of potholes, sharp turns and bends, and missing speed breakers.

The audit, which kick started on Tuesday morning, will continue till Saturday, when the students are expected to submit a detailed report.

The first day of the third batch of road safety camp started with a classroom session, where the 40 kids were divided into 4 groups and taken to the Baani square and the arcadia intersection for a road safety audit.

The kids were very enthusiastic and inspected various elements of the road like footpaths, road markings, sign posts, red lights, zebra crossings etc.

Earlier, an audit was done on the Galleria road, which connects to Supermart-1 and Sector 45 road, also known as Bhagwan Mahaveer Marg.

“These kids are soon going to turn drivers in few years. These audits will make them responsible citizens, especially when it comes to commuting and also help to educate others about road safety”, said Sarika Panda Bhatt project manager, WRI Embarq India.

The students spent one hour on the road, observing the commuters and the problems faced by them on the roads. They also observed what precautions the commuters should undertake for safe driving.

DCP(East) Deepak Saharan said, “The students learnt the ground realities of the road safety audit and identified the major problems faced by the commuters. This will give exposure to them about the safety aspects of safe driving. These five days will change their outlook towards the Gurgaon traffic police and would identify the problems/challenges faced by the cops while performing their duties.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More