Tragfic discipline in Pune

Think for a few minutes.

Observe traffic discipline in Pune. You will find

1) More than 70% drivers jump signals
2) At signals, vehicles are stopped on both the sides of the road divider.
3) Those in the front will stop their vehicles much ahead of zebra crossings.
4) If there is long road divider (F.C Road, Road behind the railway station etc.), drivers drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid long drive to take a U turn.
5) At the time of traffic jam, drivers from both the sides of the road will block both the lanes and thus help in creating traffic jams for hours.
6) During night vehicles put their headlights on high beam.

I can add a long list but above are enough for the time being.

Now compare the above with Mumbai (In particular South Mumbai) and you will find exactly opposite situation. Traffic discipline is observed to a very high degree.

Why there is such contrast ?

Educational / Economic / Social conditions of both the cities are more or less same. Police of both the cities are also having comparable background, then why there is so much difference?

You may be surprised but the root cause of the indiscipline in Pune and high discipline in Mumbai lies in a circular which was issued some years ago by Home Ministry, Maharashtra.

If you observe, in Mumbai, a single constable is standing every few Km and stops the vehicle for slightest violation (e.g. lane cutting). He will collect fine and issue receipt (OR will settle with some amount). The point to see is he has POWER to collect fine / penalise the driver.

In rest of Maharashtra, this power is suspended by virtue of a circular and hence a lonely constable can not penalise a driver. This power is only with higher officers. A constable can just confiscate the license of the driver and ask him to come to the concerned police station and collect back the license after paying the fine. Now you can understand that he is not having any "Interest" in this procedure.

Now look at the number of officers (having power to fine the driver on the spot) and you will understand why the discipline is going to dogs everyday in PUNE. Also do you think officers are interested in really implementing discipline ? No, they will stand at some soft spot (e.g free left which is really not free) and fine the drivers who take a left turn assuming that the same is free. Officers collect the targeted fine and goes back to his office.

I appeal to all those who love Pune and wishes to see a disciplined Pune, please put pressure on Home Ministry (MAH) and en power Police constables to fine on the spot. Only fear of fine can bring back the discipline in Pune.

Note: Neither I nor any of my family members or anybody whom I know is a Police constable and my above appeal is only out of love for my city.