Written by Uthara Sunil Nair
The Bengaluru traffic police have found over 700 takers for an initiative that allows residents to get the experience of being a traffic police officer for a day. Participants of the initiative titled Become a Traffic Cop for a Day undergo an orientation programme before actually stepping out onto the roads, where they observe and assist in traffic management and pedestrian guidance.
Ordinary residents, Opposition MLAs, and journalists have tried their hand at regulating traffic in Bengaluru in recent weeks—albeit without punitive powers. This initiative has been promoted through social media in both Kannada and English with the aim of fostering public cooperation in navigating the city’s heavy traffic.
To participate, residents have to download the BTP Astram mobile app, press on Traffic Cop for a Day, enter personal details, and complete a mandatory training session where they learn about the structure of the traffic police, safety guidelines, and challenges.
Volunteers can choose a particular junction and a shift, where they will work under supervision. The role excludes any penalty or confrontational duties.
‘Many suggestions impractical’
The police are often the target of public abuse for the long traffic jams in the city, which is constrained by the presence of nearly 1.23 crore vehicles for the 1.42-crore population and a weak public transport system.
Joint Commissioner of Police Karthik Reddy said that many suggestions from the public regarding traffic management were impractical and that he wanted the residents “to experience the tiresome job to promote empathy and reduce breaking rules”.
“Since its launch, over 1,600 people have registered and 700 have completed the programme. It mainly bridges the gap between citizens and the police, counters stereotypes against rules, and opens the door for citizens to share their ideas,” Reddy said.
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A participant, who wished to be anonymous, said that she joined the programme because she wanted to contribute to society in a positive way. Her experience was rewarding—it made her feel good to help the police and learn a lot about the system. She, however, felt handicapped as she “could not enforce rules and had to encounter people’s egos when they would realise she wasn’t actually a cop”.
Rajajinagar MLA Suresh Kumar of the BJP also joined the initiative on November 18. The initiative aims to encourage more involvement by sharing stories of participants.
On November 30, a Samajwadi Party MP from Uttar Pradesh, Rajeev Rai, was stuck in Bengaluru traffic for over an hour. He called the Bengaluru traffic police “useless” on social media for not responding to his calls while he was stuck in the traffic.
Uthara Sunil Nair is an intern with The Indian Express, Bengaluru.