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Steering clear of snarls
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In cricketing parlance, these traffic wardens can very well be called as `substitutes', for they neither have statutory powers nor any allowance for their service.
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THEY REGULATE traffic. They always lend a helping hand to the police force, when necessary.
But they are in no way connected to the police department, for they don't have statutory powers. They can only assist policemen and not take action independently.
"This is purely a voluntary service. There is no restriction, apart from age, for becoming a traffic warden. As this job is a voluntary one, most of our wardens are working in various offices. From a financial assistant to a dyeing unit labourer, there are 62 wardens on our rolls at present," says G R Balakrishnan, Chief Traffic Warden.
This organisation was started in the city in 1987 under the initiation by a group of volunteers working in the then Madura Coats and the then Superintendent of Police K.V.S. Moorthy. It was called Tamil Nadu Traffic Warden Organisation. Then it was renamed as Madurai Police Traffic Wardens Organisation and was again rechristened as Tamil Nadu Police Traffic Warden Organisation (TPWO).
At the outset, there were 100 wardens, comprising 50 home guards and 50 workers from the Madura Coats.
"The main objectives of the organisation are to work as a bridge between police and public in maintaining the free flow of traffic, to work along with the police during peak hours in the city, to help the police during festivals and VIP visits, to suggest plans for ensuring a free flow of traffic in city, to educate the public on traffic rules and regulations and to conduct road safety patrol (RSP) with the help of school children and senior RSP in colleges," says Mr. Balakrishnan.
"The enthusiasm from some of our wardens is overwhelming. We have a warden coming from as far as 31 km away from the city. What is more revealing is he never fails to perform his duties," says Mr.Balakrishnan.
"The terms of duty for the wardens, at present, is that apart from the regular call out duty on Tuesdays and Fridays between 6.30 to 8.30 p.m. at important junctions and parades, once a month, the wardens are also required to work at any time as per the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic)," says Mr.Balakrishnan.
Traffic wardens also help the police during temple festivals such as the Chitra festival. And only during that period, they will be allowed to control the law and order control, apart from their regular duty.
Parades for the wardens are conducted once a month on the Armed Reserve grounds at 6.30 a.m. "Madurai traffic wardens have the honour of participating in the Republic Day parade along with the police for the past seven consecutive years. They have also helped in the formation of similar organisation in the towns of Sivagangai, Tirunelveli and Theni.
"During 1998 in view of the Babri Masjid Demolition Day, traffic wardens were appointed as Special Police Officers by the then Deputy Commissioner of Police Shankar Jiwal. A police head constable and an armed guard were provided to us and we were involved in police patrolling. We were also given Rs.150 per day as allowance. That was the only time traffic wardens got some recognition for their services," says the Chief of Traffic Warden.
"Our sanctioned strength is 200 but what we have got till date is just 62 and seven more are waiting for their recruitment. The minimum eligibility condition to become a traffic warden is that the applicant should be in the 25-45 age group at the time of appointment. We welcome anyone into our fold," notes Mr. Balakrishnan.
In cricketing parlance, these traffic wardens can very well be called as `substitutes', for they neither have statutory powers nor any allowance for their service.
TSN
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
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