Traffic Warden squad gets new life with 7

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 03 2016: The city traffic warden squad got a new lease of life, a support for the police’s efforts to regulate traffic in the city, seven more citizens joined on Oct 2, Sunday;  the total number of personnel in the squad has now become 36.  The squad marked the first anniversary of the formation of the squad. The squad aims to involve people in traffic management.

The squad was started by the former Police Commissioner S. Murugan  with 95-year-old Joe Gonsalves as the chief traffic warden.

Along with Senior Joe Gonsalves, three others too had joined the squad. As many as 21 students from different colleges in the city joined the squad a few weeks after the formation of the squad. Joe Gonsalves and others have been assisting the police in regularising traffic at important junctions like Hampankatta, Kankanady, Bendoorwell and Nantoor junctions. Naina Fernandes, Mary Pereira, Sujith Noronha, James Martha, J. Mohammed, Maxim Moris and Shivaraya Nayak, who joined on Sunday, will be on duty everyday.

Speaking on the occasion, Police Commissioner M. Chandrashekar said this squad should not be considered just an exercise of the police to get some working hands as against the vacant posts. This squad, he said, showcases that citizens in Mangaluru are responsible and they can take care of themselves.

Doctor and writer B.M Hegde expressed the need of having two traffic wardens outside each educational institution located off the main roads in the city. Joe Gonsalves, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) M. Sanjeev Patil and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) K. Tilakchandra also spoke.