Careless drivers forced to work as traffic cops in India

Mar 8, 2011, 9:48 GMT

New Delhi - India has begun punishing motorists who violate the rules of the road by forcing them to act as traffic cops at busy intersections, a move that has been welcomed in a country infamous for rash driving, officials said Tuesday.

A drive launched last week in Delhi's suburb of Gurgaon has seen young business executives among other offenders working as traffic cops, Bharti Arora, deputy police traffic commissioner, said.

'The idea is to make them feel how difficult it is for the traffic constables to manage the chaos. They should realize they should not violate rules,' she said.

'I think the message is getting across as they are learning the lessons first-hand.'

Arora said the new scheme was launched because on-the-spot fines of a hundred rupees (2.2 dollars) for violations such as running red lights were not working.

'Offenders were just not bothered. Now, besides the fine, they have to spend at least 10 minutes in helping to sort the mess they created,' she said.

Arora said as many as 50 offenders performed traffic duties daily and that the project would be extended at 'no-tolerance zones' across Gurgaon.

Gurgaon, one of India's main information technology hubs, sees hours of traffic gridlock with motorists not observing signals or driving in the wrong direction.

Some residents said the scheme should be launched in other cities in India to check rash driving, a major reason behind 120,000 deaths annually, among the highest road crash rates globally.

'Not only truckers or cabbies, but also executives and government officials don't care a hoot for traffic rules,' said Gurgaon resident Shashi Pande, who was hit by a motorcyclist last year.

'These hoodlums on wheels can only learn the hard way.'

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