Agarwaltimes - Blame IT employees for traffic chaos in Hinjewadi: Cops

Irked by unending confusion at IT Park, traffic division shoots letter to HIA, teams up with companies to spread awareness.

Traffic movement in the Hinjewadi IT Park is a nightmare. And only the techies are to blame for it. Tired of undisciplined driving by most employees working there, the traffic police have finally decided to put in force a two-way plan to curb the menace. On the one hand, they are approaching IT companies to educate employees of traffic rules and on the other, they have written to the Hinjewadi Industries Association (HIA) highlighting the menace. They have also written a letter to the civic administration to clear encroachments.

Shockingly, nearly 40 drivers facing action in a month for breaking traffic rules inside the IT Park.

"Most employees are caught driving in the wrong direction in a bid to save time on the stretch from Wipro to Hotel Mezza 9. They cannot seem to comprehend the dangers they put themselves and their fellow drivers in," said inspector M S Kumbhar, in charge of the Hinjewadi traffic division.

Due to the lack of public transport connectivity from the other parts of the city, most employees prefer private vehicles for their daily commute. According to the traffic police, nearly 3 lakh vehicles enter the IT Park daily and since there is no alternate route, the whole park witnesses chock-a-block traffic during peak hours. What's worse is that this educated mass responds in a derogatory manner when cops try to streamline the traffic.

In fact, recently, there was a case against an employee for misbehaving with the assistant police inspector. "There have been at least four cases of misbehaviour when the employees were stopped for violating traffic rules. Some are so arrogant that they do not care about police action as, according to them, the fine collected is negligible," API S R Pailkar of the Hinjewadi traffic division told Mirror.

"We have started approaching some companies to conduct lectures on the current traffic situation in the IT Park and how it can be improved just by following traffic rules. We have also written a letter to the civic administration to clear encroachments on the road so that commuters do not have to wait in long queues and the traffic will be free-flowing," he added.

The traffic police have also written a letter to the Hinjewadi Industries Association (HIA) to request the officials to extend help in spreading awareness among employees.

"We have been working with the police to ease the traffic situation and are ready to extend necessary help to them to conduct awareness drives," HIA official Sunil Pailwan, public relations officer, said.

Understandably, other employees are also sick of the indiscipline.

Mohit Sharma, an IT employee since the last one-and-a-half-years, said, "Half of the traffic problems can be solved if all drivers begin following traffic rules. Those driving in wrong lanes end up creating traffic jams. Even walking becomes difficult."

Some employees are even demanding that the awareness drives be conducted by traffic police as well as companies.

Vishal Shah, who commutes on a two-wheeler from Kothrud, said, "I find many drivers are not even aware of simple traffic rules. It will be of great help if the traffic police organise some awareness campaigns."

Agarwaltimes