Police run for extra cover

Police run for extra cover
The Times of India

Bangalore: It’s only ‘halt’ and ‘no proceed’ whenever it rains in Bangalore: Traffic comes to a standstill.

The real problem starts after the rain has stopped. Roads are flooded, visibility is almost nil and vehicles are in windowdeep water.

What do the traffic police do? They run for ‘extra cover’. This admission came from the traffic police themselves when The Times of India spoke to some of them, both senior and junior. “We fight against nature. Policemen alone cannot find answers to this problem. It has to be a combined effort by the civic authorities and the policemen. But, we are blamed all the time because we are visible everywhere and others (BCC and Bescom mainly) escape,’’ an ACP rank officer says.

Are traffic policemen equipped to control Bangalore roads which has over 22 lakh vehicles? According to traffic cops, the answer is no. “We run for shelter when it rains. Reason: We were given raincoats 10 years ago. We have not been given headgear to cover the head. We have not been provided with water-proof shoes and other basic infrastructure,’’ a cop manning the busy Shoolay Circle says.

“We do not have enough reflective jackets and batons to handle the traffic after the rain when the visibility goes down, another policeman adds.

DCP Traffic (East) M.A. Saleem agrees with his men. “Rains come normally during evening hours when everybody is rushing back home after a tiring day at work. When there is heavy rain, movement of vehicles comes to a halt and even policemen take shelter under the umbrella provided for them. But, the real problem starts when the rain stops.’’