Noida traffic police forms team to handle Twitter complaints

The Noida traffic police has formed a five-member team to look into complaints addressed to its Twitter handle and ensure smooth traffic flow by resolving complaints on a priority basis.

The Noida traffic police has formed a five-member team to look into complaints addressed to its Twitter handle and ensure smooth traffic flow by resolving complaints on a priority basis.

The five-member team has been formed due to the shortage of traffic police personnel in Noida and Greater Noida. Officials said that the team will ensure smooth traffic flow in the city. (HT File)

The five-member team has been formed due to the shortage of traffic police personnel in Noida and Greater Noida. Officials said that the team will ensure smooth traffic flow in the city.

The traffic police said that they get to know about traffic jams and congestion through the complaints made by commuters to its Twitter handle, following which they direct the personnel stationed in the vicinity to resolve the situation.

The move was initiated a day after the election results were declared in the state and the personnel who were on election duty returned to their respective place of posting. During the elections, there were only thirty personnel in the city to manage traffic while 89 were deployed elsewhere.

The process of addressing complaints is monitored by the superintendent of police (traffic), Prabal Pratap Singh. He said, “We lack manpower and cannot ensure our presence in every corner. Twitter is now an important platform for us to reach out to the public. Whenever a commuter faces a problem, he/she takes it to Twitter with pictures. Accordingly, a team is rushed to the spot to resolve the jam.”

He also said that traffic advisories are also regularly issued, on a daily basis, to ensure that commuters can choose the best possible route and don’t get stuck in traffic. On an average, the traffic police receives five to six complaints a day on its Twitter handle.

Sources said that the issue of staff shortage was taken up with higher-ups by the traffic police last year and additional deployment was sought. However, the process was stuck due to the elections and it may be addressed soon following the formation of the new government.

The plan to install CCTV cameras to streamline traffic in Noida and Greater Noida is also hanging in the balance.