Meeting with Mr Praveen Sood (ACP Bangalore Traffic Police)

Is there a way to figure out from Mr Sood who are the organizations responsible for the following 3 functions and how they coordinate between themselves.

1. Traffic Planning - Where roads will be built and how wide and how many lanes they will have etc.
2. Traffic Engineering - Road markings, dividers, cats eyes, signage, buffer/center/turn lanes etc.
3. Traffic Enforcement - monitoring and imposing fines

My assumption is that traffic police is only responsible for the 3rd but I think there are some activities falling in 1 and 2 also being done by them what are those?

- What is the contribution of the traffic police on traffic engineering?
- Do they have plans to ask and take on traffic engineering responsibilities?
- Who regulates traffic schools and do they have any say on the licensing procedure?
- Why dont they have laws to impound licenses?
- What will it take to insert into law arrests for multiple traffic violations? Do they have plans to do the above?
- Who are they working with to have training on traffic rules imparted?

The last point is important because Mr sood on Radio Indigo today when asked by the host if the violations are a result of inadequate knowledge or lack of application responded that he didnt believe the people in silicon city do not know the rules. I am sorry but we cant assume everybody in Silicon City have gone abroad and driven in better managed countries. Especially the yellow board mafia.

I'm going out of town this Saturday, so can't make it. Would have loved to though.

Two Simple Qs:

> What can we (@ Praja) do to help these guys better manage us?!!!

> Ask them to list 5 biggest issues / problems they wish they had solutions for right now...

Have a quite a few other questions / comments, but I think if we ask them these first, we may get some unbiased answers. We might get to know something we might otherwise overlook.

Thanks,

Ravi

Muralidharavare,

I had sometime back suggested a similar programme of hiring ex-servicemen as traffic wardens. They could be funded by a cess on all petrol and diesel sold within BBMP limits. Atleast 20 wardens per ward is a good way to go ahead.

was heading to office today and always met with heavy traffic..one thing that was glaringly missing was proper road signs..

on HAL airport road they are trying to impose restrictions on right turn..near murugeshpalya and manipal hospital..by carving out a makeshift lane with cones..but instead we can have more signs like above and anyone outside the lane will be blatantly fined..as simple as that..

atleast then our folks will start to respect lanes...as of now many free left turns are always blocked by BMTC busses or autos..and if questioned they give a 'i cant help' look...this needs to stop!

Well, most of the violators get away by bribing the cops .. I know this is direct to take up in front of Praveen Sood, to avoid this a percentage based commission  for fining should be introduced along with heavy fines. Usually people getaway by paying 50-100 rupees to cops. If the comission itself is 200 rupees and prizes of fining 'N' number of offenders, thjen cops will become really strict and department can also earn revenues. People will be afraid to drive on Bangalore roads and become more disciplined in the process. 

Fine should be more for violators than for the document checking. Most of the violators who are truck and cab drivers have their documents intact.

Introduction of barricades as done on highways during night times on the ring roads and other spatial roads near intersections to slow down the speeding cabs.

Replacement of Indica with Nano for call centre cabs once it is introduced. I came to know from Tata Motors that it is a 5 seater. Indicas are very powerful  and driven by not so educated and public concious cab drivers as I discussed in one of my previous posts.

Replacement of 180 second wait time signals with 90 second wait time signals especially on the ORR since it leads to frustation and then chaos.

First and foremost thing enforcing lane discipline.

Introduction of monitoring cameras and ticketing system.

Better Zebra Crossings and Pedestrain road crossing facilities.

I will check if I can make it for meeting. I will update by tomorrow evening. 

First of all, I am interested in coming along for the meeting if accomodatable.

Now my views. As the heading goes, i would like to see one body streamlining the way Traffic police, BMTC and  Auto Riks work in Bangalore. All these should work in tandem

There should be more emphasis on usage of public transport and for this Traffic police need to create special rules and lanes for BMTC. and BMTC should improve their service with more buses and following strict timings.

1)I would like Bangalore to be divided into 5 different zones(N, E, W, S and Central) There should be buses connecting each zone to other zones plying every 15 mins. And these special buses should be non-stop. Then all Autos should be  confined to their zones only. (may be colour code them). This will also solve the problem of Autos rejecting to go to the place u want to. Traffice police will play a major role in facilitating this. 

2) Can traffic police be given authority/responsibility to raise a complaint of any damaged road (huge potholes, damaged footpaths etc) so that the roads are atleast repaired temporarily and quickly.

3) Why are BMTC buses not penalised for traffic violation?

I got more points, and will add in a later post.. 

I agree with the point that Traffic police should more concentrate on catching the violaters and all the junctions should have automated signals. 

I would like to join if space is available. This is going to be a terrific meeting with a lot of questions/ideas/solutions and am pretty sure the team that participates will get a greater understanding of Mr. Sood and his team's perspectives.

The 2 biggest issues that i want answers for are - what is the primary focus/mandate of their team? Is it enforcement or (just) traffic management. It looks to me that they have abandoned both and are just about allowing traffic to detoriate. The second is what would they want from concerned citizens like us - in terms of our participation. Other points are covered in the responses from friends here.

Wishing

Hai Guys

Sorry that this time I have another engagement (important) planned.

So I won't be able to make it.

anyhow if ACP, Sood, can set right a few things I have a few suggestions

(1) ensuring minimum educational qulification (PUC Pass ) for even the juniormost in the police force

(2) eliminating the practice of policemen & constables working in the residences of senior polce officers

(3) levying of fines for traffic defaulters and part of the same being diverted to a policemen's welfare fund

(4) improving the working conditions & living conditions of policemen by providing excellent housing, subsidised canteen facilities and tereby eliminating corruption in the police force

(5) laying of underground cables, removing eletric poles & telephone poles for more traffic & pedesrtrian space

(6) concretistaion of a few  important roads to start with & followed by the same for all roads

(7) identification / construction of arterial roads with no signal lights

Thanks

Srinath Heragu