Delhi Traffic Police chief upset with VIP law breakers

Monday, Feb 07, 2011




Miffed by traffic violations by VIP vehicles, Delhi Traffic Police chief Satyendra Garg has taken to the Facebook to highlight some judges and bureaucrats brazenly break traffic rules.

Despite facing pressures from VIPs who seemingly do not feel guilty violating traffic laws, the joint commissioner of police has made it clear that no one is above the law.

Writing in Facebook Sunday, Garg brought to the notice of fellow citizens that he saw five cars, two with red beacons, parked in a no-parking zone area in Connaught Place -- the capital's shopping hub.

'How do you handle this situation... There is a traffic police motorcycle with two officials,' an exaxperated Garg posted.

'You ask (the) traffic officials why they were not prosecuting (the) illegally parked vehicles. He comes to you and tells softly that one of the vehicle is (that) of a high court judge whose wife had come for shopping, the other red beacon vehicle (is) of a director level officer of home ministry and the three others were Mercedes and other brands.

'You have to respond to (the) Head Constable who is feeling intimidated. I want people to respond to this query of Head Constable,' he wrote.

In no time came 122 responses. Most people insisted that the policeman must prosecute the violators.

One of them, Ajaya Chand, said: 'If the senior officers of Delhi Police and their bosses will support the Head Constable, then and only then will the problem be solved.

'Today, the Head Constable is more than afraid of losing his job or (getting) a reprimand if he actually does his job,' Ajaya Chand said, and cited how the British Home Secretary's official driver was fined for speeding.

Garg then presented another post: 'Another situation. A judicial magistrate visits one area of the city in a private car, commits traffic offence, checked by traffic officials, feels offended.

'Goes back to his court, next day rings up his counterpart to 'handle' the concerned traffic officials.

'These officials are called by area traffic magistrate, forced to wait for hours, asked to apologise to the offended magistrate.

'Police take the stand and apology was not given with support from seniors. Magistrate makes situation difficult as he deals with all court challans. How do you handle this,' Garg wants to know.

The public response was swift and universal: everyone wanted the police to be merciless with traffic violators, no matter who they were.

And for good measure, some suggested to Garg to ape Delhi's famed and former traffic police chief Kiran Bedi, pointing out that she was as tough with commoners as she was with VIPs.

Last month, Garg had vowed to pursue a crackdown on drunken driving, tinted glasses and cars with illegal beacon lights.

Original news source http://www.sify.com/news/delhi-traffic-police-chief-upset-with-vip-law-breakers-news-national-lchv4fjfagj.html