Traffic cops let auto drivers rule the roads

A week after Hindustan Times found several errant autorickshaw drivers openly flouting traffic norms on city roads, we decided go on other fact-finding assignment, to see if the situation had improved.

A week after Hindustan Times found several errant autorickshaw drivers openly flouting traffic norms on city roads, we decided go on other fact-finding assignment, to see if the situation had improved.

Continuing with its campaign against errant auto drivers in the city, HT visited several spots in the eastern

suburbs on Thursday, and found that even as auto drivers continued to disregard rules and regulations, traffic police men too seemed least compelled to bringing errant drivers to book.

The auto drivers, we observed, got away with brazenly breaking the rules without even being reprimanded, let alone penalised.

In most cases, the traffic cops posted nearby were either not paying attention or were busy with offenders. In one instance, the policeman was too occupied with his mobile phone to bring the driver to book.

Offences included illegal parking, jumping signals and crossing the zebra line at a traffic signal.