More furrows on the brow for traffic cops

CHENNAI: Irrespective of what you may believe, it is not just you who has to contend with a steadily worsening traffic situation in Chennai. There are others who live through it too. Like our traffic policemen. Yes, time for a double take. If motorists who drove around as if they had pawned their brains to the devil were not enough, almost every traffic cop goes through an ordeal when the lights go out for an hour every day.Traffic Sub-Inspector Sivakumar's (name changed) face becomes contorted as he pours his heart out. “Oh God! By asking me about traffic signals, you have to listen to me rant,” he told this reporter. “For years now, people have gotten very used to looking at clearly visible traffic signals when they drive around. So, when I say they don’t see a policeman on the middle of the road, you have to understand the import of a car hurtling towards you at 40 or 50 kmph. When they realise, they apply thier brakes suddenly and look at us very expectantly, as if they expect us to fine them. When we stand under a non-functioning traffic signal, we have greater priorities, like regulating the traffic. So, we just wave them on their way,” he adds.Sivakumar slaps his forehead before shaking his head slowly. “It is not that traffic management is that hard to get right. But what can you do when a large majority of motorists only look for ways to sneak through. And that is true even when the signals are functioning. When they don’t work, it is like they lose all checks and balances and rush through like idiots,” he adds.Traffic policemen across a number of areas in the city who spoke to this reporter said the power cuts and the resulting outage of traffic signals gave them nightmares in the beginning. “As it is, our workload is heavy. No one wAzill pay the fine for mistakes. We have to talk on the phone with uncles or friends who pressure us to let them go. With all this at an hour in the middle of the road, regulating these motorists is undue pressure,” says a constable. “But after all these months, we have gotten used to it. This too shall pass,” he adds.