Mangaluru (The Hindu): Students, public are part of 30-member traffic warden squad. Whenever there is a traffic jam in the city, motorists invariably see 42-year-old Abdul Ravoof and 39-year-old Nelson Anil Mascarenhas donning the role of traffic policemen and controlling traffic movement.

In the coming days, these two persons will be seen at busy junctions in white and grey uniforms controlling traffic. They are among the members of a 30-member traffic warden squad which will be on duty on several roads in the city.

“We are happy that our work has been officially recognised,’ said Mr. Ravoof, a former Mangaluru City Corporation employee, who has been in traffic regulation for over two decades. Mr. Ravoof says it is his inert attitude of helping people in distress that has made him involve in traffic regulation.

“I just take a city bus to reach the place where there is blockade and start my job,” he says and adds “Many a times I have dropped midway of an assignment and regulated traffic.”

Mr. Mascarenhas, a school bus driver by profession, is happy to see youngsters coming forward to lend their services for regulating traffic. “The present number (of 30) is not enough,” he says. Mr. Mascarenhas says that more youngsters need to take the task of regulating traffic movement and ensure smooth movement of traffic in the city.

Among the new members of the squad include Neha R. Katpady, a first year B.Com student from St. Joseph’s College. Ms. Katpady says that she and other members of the squad have been given basic training in traffic regulation.

“We are ready to take up the hard task and help the society,” she says.

The new squad now has four Deputy Chief Traffic Wardens. Apart from seven students from St. Joseph’s College, seven from Milagres College, nine from St. Agnes College and eight from St. Aloysius ITI college are members of the squad.

“We want more people with passion for traffic regulation to be involved with us,” says Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Uday Nayak.

Apart from traffic regulation, the new squad members will be taking note of errant drivers and inform police for booking cases for violation. Entry forms for joining the squad has been made available in traffic police stations, he said.

Photo credit: The Hindu