BENGALURU: Traffic policemen and traffic wardens in Whitefield set an example on Tuesday by directly intervening to set right a common problem on the roads. Seeing that there was no way to get around potholes, they filled up the craters themselves.
The Graphite India Junction witnesses bad traffic jams daily. Motorists, unable to ride on pothole-ridden roads, break the rules and ride on the footpaths instead, pushing out pedestrians.
Traffic policemen in Whitefield had kept stones at the edge of the footpath to restrict two-wheelers entry to the footpath. But that did not solve the problem, as motorists started to crush these stones to continue their ride.
This was what prompted traffic warden Manju Mehra and team, along with a few police constables, take the issue into their own hands. A traffic policeman said, “We brought cement from a cement mixer and fixed the pothole.” As the civic agencies were not fixing it, a traffic policeman in the team carries equipment to fix roads. “When we get to know about potholes, we carry out the works,” he said.
Narasimha Murthy, a traffic police constable in Whitefield, said, “Letters have been written to BBMP frequently explaining to the officials about the condition of the roads. But till now, we haven’t got any reply. The reason why we fill potholes is so that there are no casualties or accidents.”
Traffic warden Manju Mehra said, “There were two potholes, around 30cm deep, which were making bikers skid. Some riders used to ride on the footpath, causing inconvenience to pedestrians. We filled the potholes with cement that we got from locals.”
A regular commuter of the area, Somdatta De Khan, posted his appreciation on the Bengaluru Traffic Police’s Facebook page. “Want to acknowledge TW Manju Mehra from the Graphite Signal for managing the area as well as possible. Managing signals is one thing and managing it with a smile deserves some accolades. Recently, heard a comment which fits her so appropriately -- Manju raises her voice against traffic offenders but with respect.”