[Update Sep 18, slight change in time] Mr Praveen Sood, ACP Traffic, has confirmed Sep 20, 12 noon as the date for next meeting with Praja members. Please send in your confirmation for attendance on this event entry "2nd meeting with ...". Let us use this post to discuss what we will do in this meeting.
Some guidelines, if we may:
- We should not go overboard and talk about tons of suggestions. We may want to pick at most 2-3 suggestions and discuss those in depth.
- We can perhaps talk about picking a "model ward" to work on some suggestions.
- We are sure that Mr Sood will expect some commitment from us if we want to get involved deeper, lets discuss that as well. Perhaps, we can form an engagement group of 10-12 folks, who take turns (3 out of 12 meet Mr Sood's staff every once in a while) to keep continuity on a concrete project we pick with Traffic police for tracking or helping out.
8 would be a good size to go for this meeting. As always, first come first serve, but if there are more than 8, active members get priority. Once again, if you want to attend, leave comment on the event post, not here. This one is only to plan this meeting.
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Lets set an agenda
My 3 suggestions to consider
- One-at-a-time: Solid enforcement of one thing at a time. Recently, traffic police had done an enforcement drive for high beams on a couple of roads in CBD. We can do similar drives against say "left side overtaking", or "stopping behind zebra line", or "wrong side driving" - but, only one at a time. Basically, pick one theme for 1-2 months, and send a forceful all-out message (TV, radio, hoardings, car stickers) saying you have done all this so far, but not anymore.
- Re-branding - New uniforms for traffic police. Presenrtation matters, so does the image. If we can do some "re-branding" via several clues, we can spread a "we are back" like message. New uniform, "one at a time" campaign. media messages, repainting the police bikes and jeeps, new styled ticket/fine receipts. Of course, this will have to be coupled with action, but I think working on "image" is important.
- Model ward: It could be a model ward, or one selected corridor. The plan would be to enforce in one area with all the gusto copuled with all the management gadgets (vehicle actuated signals, pedestrian "Walk" buttons, radar based speed indicators boards) and visual clues (lane markings, zebra lines, no parking signs, painted road kerbs). We (Praja members, all) will participate by physically spreading the messsage in that ward, and participating by way of monitoring installation/painting and all the stuff. Such a thing wll help disprove some myths people have about Bangalore having less roads, or those who bat for road widening projects over better traffic management, and to people who don't see the value of being more orderly on the roads.
These are my top 3. Others who will be attending, please do leave your top 3. Even those who won't be joining for the meeting can leave at max 3 suggestions for us to take. Lets pick 3 out of everything that people would post here.Media Campaign for public awareness !
My top 3
Good men at the helm
This is really true and touching. But he needs to improve their lot. Education for the police force should top our agenda. Can we conduct classes using ASJ's material? If the app is online we can sign an MOU to allow the cops exclusive use of the app. Let us discuss & propose.
Rationalization of one way Policy
The ACP can identify which area in the city is the worst affected of traffic congestion. Praja can brainstorm for a solution collectively and present it to him for his views. This should show us a way to evolve a comprehensive Policy on one ways including pedestrian crossings at intersections.
My Choices
Technology -
Installation of "Enforcement Cameras" at all junctions covered by the surveillance cameras. What is the cost involved (indirectly how long would it take for the camera to break even - recover costs by means of fines)? Up gradation of the RTO driver and vehicle database. And automation of the fine collection system (Once a traffic offense is recorded by the cameras, automated challans should be generated by accessing the RTO database and sent to the offender). A centralized database to record all offences. Blackberry project was amazing - but i am not sure if they used it effectively. I guess they were too technical to be used by all. Could be replaced by a call center model.
Re-branding -
I second SBs proposal on this. Especially the uniform one. Traffic police especially people serving at night times should be provided with good quality reflector jackets and rain coats. I have seen man police personal standing dangerously at junctions at night times with no reflector jackets (even if they are wearing one - most of the times they are worn out ones). Also a complete image change over of the traffic force is necessary.
Heavy Vehicle Movement Restrictions -
Request for restrictions on the movement of heavy transport vehicles during peak hours on certain roads - like the ring roads, Whitefield main road, etc etc. It is being done on Hosur main road, they should consider implementing the same across Bangalore.
Rithesh
Prajasevaka :)
my list
I am not in town that day - so, I won't be able to make it. However, these are the points I would like to be included in the discussions. May be you could send a list in advance so that he can be prepared with his responses.
1) Mr Sood had claimed having fined millions of motorists. However, the general impression is that his people are not even touching the auto-rickshaws. How does he hope to discipline them? Like-wise, the BMTC buses. Between the two, they are the biggest contributors to increased entropy on Benagaluru roads.
2) We are seeing more and more vehicles, particularly autos, displaying registration numbers in Kannada only. The Police Commissioner had told me few days back, when I met him in some other connection, that at a high level meeting held on the 6th Sept, a decision had been taken to enforce conformity of registration number plates with M V Act strictly. Immediate action from Mr Sood is awaited.
3) As I understand, pedestrian walk-ways on NH7 (Hebbal to new airport) have not been provided, because NHAI does not allow advertising on structures built across its property, because of which you can't have a PPP. Why doesn't BBMP fund it on its own, when so many fatalities have been occuring on that stretch? Mr Sood should pursue this with BBMP.
4) Ambushing speed-cops - check ambushing
5) Traffic marshals - check traffic marshals
Muralidhar Rao
A broad outline
Primary role of the Police is to maintain law and order. Everything else they do is related in some way.
To maintain law and order, rules have to be enforced. More so when the population is in some ways uneducated, unruly and self centric. But when rules themselves are not clear, unknown, or routinely bent, how do you enfore?
So here is what is needed, in some order.
Make rules clear:
Enforce rules without exception:
If rules cannot be enforced (for some reason or the other), change the rules. Do not bend them.
So, how do we do this? This post is to put what is needed into perspective. Praja memberes have offered, and I'm sure will continue to offer many innovative ways of putting above items into practice.
How about we tweak and agree on these broad items first? Then we can take one at a time, brainstorm, analyze and suggest concrete ideas.
Saturday I suggest we start by spending a couple of minutes describing the outline first, and present other ideas related to one or two topic(s) of the outline.
Thanks,
Ravi