Well-equipped booths to check traffic violations

Bijendra Ahlawat

The Faridabad police are setting up special booths in the city, perhaps for the first time, to check traffic violations, jams and accidents. Sube Singh, spokesperson for the Police Department, says that while six booths are already functioning in various parts of the city, 26 more booths will come up within a month. Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar had inaugurated the first six booths recently. He says that these booths will not only serve as a source of help for commuters but will also be a temporary shelter for policemen, who control traffic even in extreme weather conditions. These booths will be fully equipped with gadgets such as CCTV cameras, medical aid, fire control equipment, ropes, ladders and stretchers. 

The functional booths have also been provided with beds and the drinking water facility. Every booth will be directly connected with the Police Control Room and policemen can keep a watch on traffic conditions round the clock and retrieve CCTV footage, whenever required.

The six booths inaugurated recently are located at Ajronda Chowk, Crown Interiors Mall Chowk, Badkhal Chowk, Bata Chowk, Neelam Chowk and Surajkund Chowk. The CCTV cameras installed at these booths will have a backup of 15 days and will be controlled directly from the office of the ACP, Traffic. Other booths will come up at Sarai Chowk, Sector 37; DLF Chowk, Sector 27; Rajiv Chowk, Old Faridabad; Sector 15; Pali Chowk; Manav Rachna-Aravalli crossing on Surajkund road; BPTP crossing; Sector 86; Sector 7&10 market; Sector 16, 3, Ballabhgarh city, Sector 8 bypass; Sectors 28, 29, 21 C and 31.  Every booth will be headed by an official of the rank of ASI or Head Constable and will have three or four policemen.

SK Sharma, District Coordinator, Road Safety Organisation (RSO), says that traffic management in Faridabad city has emerged as a major issue requiring higher-end measures on the pattern of the National Capital or Chandigarh. He adds that more than 200 persons die and hundreds are injured in road accidents in the district every year. 

Sharma stresses the need for more traffic policemen as the present strength is inadequate to control the rising number of vehicles and the traffic chaos on almost all main roads during peak hours. 

Varun Sheokand, a social activist, says that besides strengthening the traffic police, there is need to install more CCTV cameras and nakas to curb the menace of rash driving and other violations. Hundreds of vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, ply in the city without proper documents, he adds. 

Sheokand demands a check on plying of vehicles with tinted windowpanes. Poor traffic management was responsible for a large number of accidents that claimed over 200 lives last year, he says. 

AK Gaur, a senior citizen, says that long-term comprehensive measures are required to check traffic violations in this largest populated city of Haryana.