Drive away

Sir — Although the attempts of The Telegraph to raise public awareness about the dismal state of traffic control in Calcutta is commendable, its efficacy is doubtful. For the man on the street still does not know how to deal with the threat posed to his life or the harassment caused by reckless drivers of buses and auto-rickshaws who enjoy a strong political backing. As a motorist on Calcutta’s roads, I have been a victim not only of manic driving but also of police high-handedness. The traffic police often pick on private cars at random and book them for innocuous lapses, all the time overlooking far serious crimes. Raising a voice in such situations is inadvisable as it invariably leads to further harassment at the hands of the police. The Telegraph should list steps that the public can take to bring errant drivers as well as law-keepers to book in such situations. Otherwise, the campaign would lose much of its purpose.

Yours faithfully,
Abhijit Sen, Calcutta

Sir — Calcutta’s traffic problem obviously does not begin and end with the story of rash-driving by competing bus drivers. It extends to conductors’ misbehaviour with passengers. Now auto-rickshaw drivers also seem to have joined the show. All of this shows that there is hardly any respect for the life or limb of commuters. With the administration turning a blind eye to such misdemeanour, the responsibility falls on the public to raise their voice in protest.

Yours faithfully,
Srikanta Bhattacharjee, Calcutta

Sir — Pedestrians and commuters find their lives in jeopardy owing to the activities of bus drivers and conductors on the one hand, and the feeble response on the part of the city police. Passengers’ morale has also taken a beating after reports of the harassment of those who dared to protest. There must be a way to prevent the erosion of the value of human life and dignity that the city is witnessing.

Yours faithfully,
Pousali Mukherjee, Calcutta

Sir — Is Calcutta becoming another Bihar? It appears so, if the recent spate of incidents where passengers have reportedly been kicked or thrown out of public transport is any indication (“Conductor kick throws woman off”, Sept 17). It is painful to see how Calcutta is becoming heartless. Fellow passengers remain mute spectators to incidents of harassment, and accident victims are left to die on the road (“Run over, techie lies on road as pilot van stops and speeds off”, Sept 13). All this would have been unthinkable in this city even a few years ago. One wonders what makes the chief minister say now and then that “Bengal is an oasis of peace”.

Yours faithfully,
L. Rajiv, Calcutta

Sir — Surely, if other cities in the world can man their roads in an organized and disciplined manner, there is no reason why West Bengal should fail to do so. A large section of its residents are in the IT sector, designing and providing solutions for overseas clients. This section can be tapped for solving Calcutta’s problems. Before that is done, some short-term measures can definitely be taken. Damaged roads should be repaired, concrete dividers put in place where the traffic is two-way. Heavy vehicles should be stopped from plying within the city during peak hours and steps taken to make sure that public vehicles pick up and drop passengers only at assigned terminals. Traffic marshals with fluorescent jackets and sign-posts must be assigned to help schoolchildren and the disabled across important junctions. I have seen retired people in other countries voluntarily do this as social service. All bus drivers and conductors must be salaried with regular benefits so that they do not put lives in jeopardy by racing against each other to pick up more passengers and get a higher commission.

Heavy fines must be imposed on speeding vehicles. Trade unions must let errant drivers know that they are not going to be saved if caught breaking rules. There must be a helpline so that cases of hazardous driving and traffic mishaps can be reported immediately. Bus stands should be constructed away from the main road so that passengers do not have to stand in the way of passing traffic to catch their bus.

Long term measures should include installing speed cameras to monitor vehicle movement and making sure that traffic signals for pedestrians are not in conflict with those for motorists — a common occurrence on our roads.

Yours faithfully,
Suraj Sreemany, Calcutta

Sir — The transport authorities should be aware that too many private buses on Calcutta’s roads do not display fare charts. Bus conductors also do not carry one. In some cases, fares are arbitrarily charged.

Serious attention also needs to be given to busy intersections, where the police must oversee if pedestrians are observing safety precautions while crossing roads. Traffic signals show the ‘go’ sign for pedestrians, but speeding vehicles often flout traffic rules and rush in, even on zebra crossings, where they’re supposed to go slow.

Yours faithfully,
Prasenjit Bhakat, Jhargram

Sir — Calcutta needs a popular movement to reduce accidents. Each time passengers feel bus drivers are speeding unnecessarily, they should dismount in a body and refuse to pay the fare. The nearest traffic post should be informed about the reckless driver so that his licence is seized. Media campaigns cannot go on forever. Besides, they are unlikely to yield much result if the public do not take up the cause of their own welfare.

Yours faithfully,
J. Sen, Calcutta