New Delhi: It is "unacceptable" for traffic cops to be busy challaning individuals during peak hours instead of managing the flow of traffic, the Delhi Police leadership has now held, with a Special CP, directing officers that action will be initiated against anyone deviating from traffic duties during peak hours.
"This is unacceptable that during peak hours traffic police personnel not managing congestion but busy in prosecuting traffic offenders," wrote the Special Commissioner of Police in a circular. The senior officer has told other officers that whoever violates the circular will be sent to the lines.
In the circular which was sent to senior officers including Joint CPs, Additional CPs, DCPs and ACP's in the traffic unit, the Special CP wrote it was being noticed that even during busy peak hours and at congested junctions, traffic police personnel are not managing traffic congestion but they are standing in a cluster far away from the junction, prosecuting traffic offenders.
Showing disappointment, the Special CP said that this was unacceptable and focus should be given to manage traffic. "This is totally unacceptable. During peak hours, our focus must be to regulate traffic and manage congestion by manning junctions," he said. All senior officers were further directed that they should be in the field during peak times and wherever there is traffic congestion. "This should be briefed down up to constable level. Anyone violating the circular will be sent to the lines," he added.
Delhi Police said, over the years Delhi has seen rapid growth in vehicle volume which, in its wake, brought problems of traffic congestion, delays, parking and pollution caused by vehicular emissions. The problem of traffic congestion, in particular, has worsened day by day as the growth in the road space has by and large remained constant, whereas the number of registration of vehicles has steadily increased over the past years.
"The city, having a heterogeneous mix of transport, both slow and fast-moving on the same road space, faces complex challenges in smooth movement of traffic. Owing to the abysmally low percentage of the share of public transport vehicles, people still tend to buy private vehicles, resulting there-by manifold increase in vehicular population," police said.
According to officials, Delhi Traffic Police faces a huge challenge in the enforcement of traffic laws owing to unplanned development of the city, poor infrastructure, and piecemeal growth of transportation facilities. Due to rapid urbanisation and almost negligible growth in road length and infrastructure, traffic congestion grew exponentially in the last twenty years. The poor road infrastructure poses a significant challenge to the Traffic Police in terms of traffic management each year in the rainy season when Delhi roads get waterlogged in most parts of the city.