By Sahil Makkar, IANS
New Delhi : Little it seems can help regulate Delhi’s chaotic traffic. A month after the traffic warden scheme involving defence officials was launched amid much fanfare, lack of coordination with police is threatening to take the sting out of it.
“The presence of traffic wardens has helped us in improving the traffic situation, but only to a small extent. There is lack of coordination between us and the traffic wardens,” admitted a senior traffic official posted in south Delhi.
The 100 traffic wardens – 80 air force officials and 20 navy officials – have volunteered to help in supervising traffic, registering violations and also checking Delhi’s traffic woes, particularly the overflow of passengers at bus stops.
But there are no designated spots for them, neither any specific time for their presence.
“We don’t even know when they come and go. Sometimes they come in the morning and sometimes in the evening. Though their presence on the roads has helped us in persecuting traffic offenders, it would be of great help if they made us aware of their schedule in advance,” the official told IANS on condition of anonymity.
There are only 4,000 traffic police officials in the capital and the strength has not increased in the last one decade. Delhi’s traffic involves around 5.5 million vehicles.
A traffic warden said on condition of anonymity: “We are volunteers and act when we notice anyone violating traffic rules. First, we try to make them understand their offence and then note their vehicle registration number.
“We send our weekly reports to traffic police through the appointed nodal officer. We are not supposed to be on duty on the road. Our job is very much defined,” the traffic warden said, adding that since the beginning of the scheme “each one of us has registered over 100 traffic violations”.
Qamar Ahmed, joint commissioner of police (Traffic), told IANS: “These traffic wardens are doing their job. They are mere volunteers and work at their own discretion. They don’t work under us so there is no question of coordination with them. Their assistance is sought when required.
“But any help in a systematic manner for curbing traffic problems is always appreciated,” Ahmed added.
A brainchild of Delhi’s Lieutenant-Governor Tejinder Khanna, the traffic warden scheme was conceptualised to encourage public participation for better traffic management in the city that has seen an alarming increase in incidents of road rage and accidents involving Blueline buses, which have claimed 104 lives this year.
The traffic wardens were authorised to report violations and any traffic-related problems – such as faulty traffic signals and encroachment or improper parking leading to congestion – to Delhi traffic police on a weekly basis.
A deputy commissioner of police (traffic) had a good word for the 1,350 Delhi Civil Defence (DCD) officials hired by the Delhi government for traffic management in the city, mostly around bus stands.
“The DCD officials are doing a commendable job at around 300 busy bus stops. They work almost like traffic cops and make sure that traffic rules are being strictly followed despite the fact that they don’t have any authority like the defence wardens,” the official added.
The DCD personnel get paid about Rs.150 a day, and they do six hours of work, six days a week. They stand at bus stops and make sure that people don’t spill over to the roads.
“These people adorning fluorescent jackets are mostly visible at busy traffic intersections and crowded bus stands. Many a time, I have noticed them directing commuters and drivers to follow the rules. They don’t allow people to stand on the roads,” said Deeraj Kumar, a tea vendor at the capital’s busy ITO intersection.
Be it the busy points at ITO and Pragati Maidan or smaller junctions in Ber Sarai and Saket, the DCD personnel are easy to spot.
Rahul Khanna, an event manager, said: “They make sure no Blueline bus remains stationary for a minute at bus stops. They direct bus drivers to move and on refusal they immediately call the traffic cops from a nearby post.
“They apply this rule to all other vehicles to avoid traffic snarls at bus stands,” Khanna added.