Wednesday 18 November 2015

J&K’s Gimmickry Traffic System And Traffic hazards





27th September, 2015 I boarded a Tempo Traveler at BC Road, Jammu for Srinagar at 07:29. Immediately after the vehicle picked up motion, it came to rest to obey the signal of the traffic official on duty to check validity of documents. Strangely, the driver was delighted. He sprang out without any document and returned with a green coloured document in hand. It was a cash receipt for Rs.100 against the compounded challan.
A little ahead within a distance of 200 metres near Shkuntala Cinema hall another traffic party in blue withdrew their signal to stop when the driver displayed the green challan. This process continued at Amphalla Chowk, Nagrota and thereafter until we reached the security check post at the South portal of Jawahar Tunnel.  Being in the front seat, I voluntarily took charge of the green sheet and displayed it to go ahead without any administrative hassle. Ignorant as I was, at the Security check post, display of the green sheet did not work. The officials in civvies disclosed their identity as men from the security wing of the police department with little concern for implementation of traffic rules and regulations. One of them stepped in to check and said whether there was any transportation of alcohol. Many equipped with quarters purchased at Ramban outlet said in one voice “No, nothing of the sort.” The tallest among them with a bamboo stick in hand craned his head through the driver’s door to make a search. He said: “Alcoholic smell reveals your lies.” The driver confessed that he carried one quarter for himself.
En route, the driver told me that the traffic officer at the bus stand saw you shooting the scene. He took him aside and made business. In the bargain at the risk of the passengers, a formula is formulated in the interest of the transporter, the Government and the men in the blue. Rs.100 the compounded affordable fine for the challan, valid for 24 hours goes to the Government coffers, Rs. 100 in cash per month to the concerned traffic officer. I said: “How is the transporter benefited with this formula?” The driver said that the formula relieves the transporter of all the obligations of traffic rules and regulations. Even one with learner’s driving license with green challan cum receipt for fine of Rs.100 in hand can drive a passenger bus on the route. To check fitness of the vehicle, load, insurance papers and other documents on road have become obsolete against the green challan cum receipt for fine of Rs.100. Traffic officers from bottom to top, the Government and the transporter have entered into a business partnership at the cost of the passenger.
Avoidable traffic jams on the National Highway and on city roads are caused due to erratic driving by making three lane drive on one lane roads. No traffic officer bothers to streamline the traffic in proper queues and discipline the erratic drivers.
August, 2015 militants from across the border travelled from Kulgam to Udhampur in a truck and successfully accomplished their mission to attack BSF convoy at Udhampur. The Police claims that the truck driver and others who executed the plan have been apprehended.

One wonders how the truck not meant for passengers was allowed to carry armed militants by the brigade of traffic officials on the National Highway en route Kulgam to Udhampur. The concerned Police Chief and the traffic officers allowing transportation of passengers in trucks must not go scot free. They too must be punished for their failure to perform.
I recall the days of early sixties, when the traffic regulators were deterrent and would streamline the traffic smoothly. People still remember the names of Dina Nath Trakroo (Patel) the then SSP traffic for Jammu and Kashmir State, Prithvi  Nath Zutshi-Prethea Bomber, Farooq Bazaz, Badri Nath, Hriday Nath Punjabi, Mustaffa Vakil, Gaffar Sofi, Ghulam Ahmad Totta, Ghulam Mohammad Malik, Aman Ullah Khan, Gopi Nath Voenth, Bansi Lal Kaw, O N Bhan and many others.
The traffic department became target of political vendetta when the traffic was clubbed with the State Police In 1964 during the regime of G M Sadiq. Thereafter the traffic and the traffic Department are in a mess