Traffic drive ends in a whimper

THE MONTH-LONG traffic drive which ended this evening, actually proved to be a challan drive. Like previous years, it gave no message to unscrupulous road users. All that was done in the name of the traffic month was to challan a few drivers at some busy intersections in the city, get few pamphlets printed and hold a seminar at the SIEMET. Interestingly, this year the usual ballyhoo that accompanies the traffic drive was also missing.

THE MONTH-LONG traffic drive which ended this evening, actually proved to be a challan drive. Like previous years, it gave no message to unscrupulous road users.

HT Image

All that was done in the name of the traffic month was to challan a few drivers at some busy intersections in the city, get few pamphlets printed and hold a seminar at the SIEMET.

Interestingly, this year the usual ballyhoo that accompanies the traffic drive was also missing. Only few avid newspaper readers had an idea that traffic month was being observed in the city but they too were surprised to see nothing coming out of it.

Things ended up in a whimper without educating people.

A police officer on condition of anonymity said, traffic drive over the years had been reduced to a ritual. It had drifted from its original idea. “All we do today is check whether the vehicle owner is carrying all the papers or not,” he said. A real traffic drive meant reduction in the number of accidents and instilling in the mind of drivers rules of the road. But sadly just the opposite was happening, he said. Road accidents had gone up alarmingly. Driving licences were issued to people who had no idea about traffic rules, he added.

Driving on the city roads is a harrowing experience. Two wheeler drivers, cyclists and others swerve from all sides. Youngsters overtake suddenly from the left sending a chill down one’s spine. Nobody has told them that overtaking from the left is just not allowed. Everybody seems to be in a great hurry.

Then there are virtual death traps (open manholes), blind turnings, dividers and crossings without reflectors, causing great inconvenience to the road users.

Of late many city roads have come up with dividers. On the absence of reflectors, cars and two wheelers bang into them at night. Winter nights would see a spurt in such accidents due to poor visibility, the official added.

Stress on following rules

STRESS WAS laid on following rules of the road on the conclusion of the month long traffic drive at the State Institute of Education and Management & Training (SIEMET) here today. Children of some schools who were invited on the occasion, had the opportunity of learning some new things. The winners of essay competition were given prizes by IG Suvrat Tripathi, the chief guest.

SSP BD Paulson later presented him with a memento.

Prominent among others who attended the seminar included Samajwadi Party leader Vinod Chand Dube, social activist Anand Mohan, SP city, RPS Yadav, SP Trans Ganga and SP Trans Yamuna, and circle officers.