Hyderabad: Techies and working professionals joined the police as traffic volunteers to regulate traffic in the IT corridor.
Harshvardhan, DCP Traffic-I, Cyberabad, said, “Traffic volunteers from Members of the Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) stepped up as monsoon warriors to help the Cyberabad traffic police in managing traffic congestion resulting from heavy downpour and waterlogging in several parts of Cyberabad.”
He encouraged others also to volunteer in the Cyberabad commissionerate area.
Rajendra Prasad K., associate director of SCSC, said that multiple teams of volunteers were on the ground on Wednesday. “It’s just a sense of responsibility towards our people and the satisfaction we get,” he said.
Nisha Karki, a freelancer, said she had signed up as it was her passion to serve society. “Since traffic management is the need of the hour, we took it as a priority and joined the police,” she said.
MNC employee Aroop Nimmagadda said that most of the traffic blocks were due to motorists not following road discipline. “We tried to educate road users and also helped the police in traffic regulation during the rain,” he said.
Cyberabad police commissioner Stephen Raveendra said they are monitoring waterlogging and closely working with GHMC to address them immediately. “To ensure the public is updated continuously, we are sharing real-time updates on traffic situations on Cyberabad police Twitter handle, through electronic display boards and circulating in WhatsApp groups so that the public can follow them and avoid congested roads,” he said.
He said that a 24X7 control room is operational to monitor the ground situation, identifying waterlogged areas and busy roads. Ten emergency response teams have also been formed for quick response, he said.
Raveendra thanked the industry for staggering logouts of employees in a phased approach. He also suggested carpooling, Metro and public transport use to effectively reduce congestion on roads.
Madhapur traffic inspector G. Narsaiah, also operating in the IT corridor, said that adherence to traffic rules would end traffic woes on most roads. “We urge people to avoid driving in the wrong direction and not jump signals,” he said.
The police were also on ground to resolve traffic problems caused by rain in other parts of the city.
Uppal traffic constable T. Ragunandan said he and his colleagues were manning the badly-affected road from Uppal to Boduppal. “There is no walkway for pedestriansWe are guiding them to walk or cross the roads safely without affecting the traffic flow,” he said.
Home guard P. Surendra and constable Nageshwar Rao of Chilkalguda traffic police station were seen clearing a waterway clogged with trash in a video that went viral on social media. They said that the traffic was heavy and the waterlogging was obstructing traffic flow.
“Even for the department concerned to come to the spot, it might take some time and it will increase the traffic jams and also put people in trouble. We tried to clear the trash and soon the water started flowing, clearing the way for the traffic flow,” they said.
