Sir, 

It is with great anguish that I record here the unprofessional treatment meted out to well-meaning sincere tax-paying citizens of Mysuru, who are also part of Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), the city-based NGO, which for the past 30 years has been a responsible organisation that has worked hand-in-hand with various Departments of the District Administration of Mysuru. 

It is common experience that we as commuters have to endure day-by-day worsening traffic safety, causing accidents and delays because of a combination of inadequate Police oversight on traffic rule violators and related civic problems like potholed roads and absence of footpaths.  

To relate an experience that many road-users would endorse — I am trying my best to manoeuvre my car between half a dozen cows walking along the road. At the same time, a youth, texting while riding his mobike, stops short of dashing into my car because I honked to warn him. I have experienced similar situations many times. 

Another very common scene that many would have noticed is the jumping of traffic signals and wrong side riding/driving on roads with/without a median, while the Traffic Policeman present hardly notices these    violations.

I brought these and other serious violations which affect road safety, to the notice of the senior Traffic Police officials, saying that road-users who follow traffic rules get involved in accidents because violators are not checked. 

But I was told that CCTVs are recording all traffic violations at the Police Control Room and penalties running into crores of rupees are being collected after notices are sent to the violators. 

Since violations continue unabated, more on-the-road checking is called for in addition to the ongoing CCTV method.

– Shobana Sambasivan, Life member, MGP, Mysuru, 25.11.2019

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