For Happy Hyderabad, city and police hit road together

Crawling traffic and never-ending rush hour jams have ensured that more time is spent on travelling short distances, the stress taking its toll on citizens. In fact, those who have an option, especially software professionals and MNC employees, have started shifting to Tier Two cities like Vizag, Kakinada and Vijayawada which are less congested, and where companies are setting up extension branches or new offices.

In Hyderabad, the fatal accident count has been steadily increasing every year — blame it less on overspeeding vehicles, more on people getting crushed while trying to find space on the roads. Four traffic constables were crushed to death while on duty at intersections in the past 11 months while 391 people died in road accidents in 2007 and 3,447 were injured.

According to the traffic police, of the 3,286 accidents recorded in the city in 2007, 383 were fatal. The figure was higher in 2006 — 426 people died in 414 fatal accidents. In 2005, 344 persons died in road accidents. A traffic department survey found that 70 per cent of its constables were suffering from chronic bronchitis, varicose veins, hearing problems, eye infections and a high degree of stress. Nose and smoke filter masks, oxygen concentrator cabins provided little respite.

Statistics show that the number of vehicles in Hyderabad-Secunderabad and neighbouring Rangareddy have doubled to 29 lakh since 2001. There are about 4,000 city buses on the roads too. In spite of a dozen flyovers and wide roads, the city is struggling to move. The traffic department has identified some 20 stretches as accident-prone on which mishaps occur daily.

“It is not just regulating the flow of such heavy traffic that is the problem. Conscious traffic violations add to congestion and jams and fatal accidents. Both traffic police and citizens are suffering due to this. Educating the public and road users to maintain discipline on roads is proving to be a tougher task,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) V S K Kaumudi.

The good news is that citizens are waking up to the perils and are coming forward to assist the traffic police. “When we launched a Violation-Free Day project which is observed on the first working day of every month, there was no dearth of volunteers,” Kaumudi said. At his office, social workers, representatives of NGOs and volunteers wait to meet him and do their bit to help. Jairam Prasad of Janardhan Foundation, which trains women in self-employment, landed at the office to suggest that he wanted to put stickers on vehicles with the message “Let us make Hyderabad happy.”

“I have floated the Happy City Club. By accepting the round-shaped sticker, you take an oath that you will follow traffic rules,” said Prasad who brought a sample for the traffic department’s approval.

Srinivas, a social worker from Faluknama area, said he had prepared a team of friends and acquaintances who were willing to regulate traffic at busy intersections from 7 pm to 10 pm after their work hours.

After trying various measures to make roads more friendly, the traffic police department is hitting at the conscience of Hyderabad. Slogans like “Live and let live”, “Responsible citizens follow traffic rules” have been put all over the city. “This is to awaken the conscience of road users not to violate rules,” said Kaumudi.

While the traffic police has started helplines, Kaumudi has made his mobile phone number public, inviting suggestions from citizens. With the volunteers, the traffic department has decided to train them for two days, designate them as traffic wardens and depute them wherever needed.