ARTICLE FOR O-HERALD-O GOA
ON ROAD TO SAFETY!
Road Safety Week is over and the Road to safety is yet to be crystallized in the eyes of Goa. What ails the Roads of Goa?

As a practicing Traffic Warden from 1982 at Madras City and Bangalore City, with an exposure at Delhi, I find that the Traffic at Goa with its volume need not frighten any one simply based on the statistical factor!

The plus point in Goa is that

o Goa is a Compact State.
o The People of Goa are more law-abiding as compared to any other part of the Nation.
o The Goan Police, as I have observed are more committed to the Law enforcement. Leave alone the petty cases against them of corruption and molestation.(we do not know complete details of course!)
o The public opinion in Goa is in favour of systems rather than sacrifice or shortcuts.

With plus points in the favour of the State, we should pragmatically chalk out a proper Traffic Model for the State. This model should be State-of-art with Technology and at the same time ensure the BEST TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, which is the backbone of Traffic Safety.

Theoretically, there are at least three components to Road Safety, which are called the Three E's to safety!

1. Engineering
2. Education
3. Enforcement

If you do not pay attention to the three E's it leads to the final E- the End of a Life!

Out of the Three E's, Enforcement is necessary to the extent that it could be extended. Traffic enforcement is time consuming and at the same time, endless to the task. In practice, ENFORCEMENT IS LIKE LAW WHICH IS LATENT; LAW BECOMES PATENT WHEN IT IS VIOLATED. More enforcement and more force for enforcement are all time tested methods in all the cities where I have involved myself with Road safety Measures. All the Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners have finally come to the conclusion that Traffic Management combined with Traffic Engineering and Traffic Education should give the desired results.

Some Tips for Goa TRAFFIC POLICE for easy enforcement and Engineering.

1. Remove the parallel bus stops all around the City of Panjim, Vasco, Mapuca and Margao. Onward bus and Return bus should not have Bus Stops opposite to each other on the Road. (Many such places are seen in Goa)
2. Revisit all the ONE WAY roads. All the One way roads do not come under the proper principles of one way traffic Regulations. As per the principle for declaring the One way Traffic, there should be a parallel road available for the outflow or inflow. Take for example the patto bridge experiment: There are three paths wherein Two parallel paths carry the same side flow. The present scenario of Patto Bridge (old) kept as entry point while the immediate parallel Outlet road has become inlet road has not produced the desired results due to the technical fault in this design.

If Patto(old)bridge road is made an outlet, all the intra city traffic will flow out on this road reducing the present chaos at the MANDOVI hotel junction for a U Turn and Right turn towards Patto (New)Bridge.

In this experiment, The Traffic which comes through the present Patto (new) bridge from the Kadamba bus stand will enter the city and those who want to go back to the old bridge will take the deviation (left turn) to enter into old patto bridge road where Post office is situated.

3. The confusion in opening the Mandovi Bridge for both sides near from Mapuca Highway junction/connecting the Bus stand could be ended by declaring one way at all times.
4. Where the flow is very high, the Traffic Signals with automatic changes could be introduced with Solar Power Panels.
5. Traffic violations should be noted and challans in computerized forms indicating the date and time of the occurrence should be sent by ordinary post to the offenders. The fine could be made payable in Nationalised Banks by cash.
6. First time offender is given a Green Sticker on his licence and the Second time offender is given a brown sticker on his licence (both indelible) (Could be punch if licence card) and red sticker is given for the Third time offender. All these three types of warnings will be within the purview of the Traffic Police. They will issue Notice when the violation is beyond three times.
7. A Road safety show depicting the evils of Violations on Road, could be shown in the Traffic Police Office, making it compulsory or those who pay the fine for any violation. This show for one hour should not only be deterrent to the offenders on account of the time delay but also due to its appeal.
8. Regulating the timings and routes of Driving School vehicles during the peak hours.
9. Regulating the timings and routes of the CCCP Vehicles during the peak hours.
10. Traffic Patrol parked in critical circles and junctions with their Radio contacts inter connected to TRAFFIC POLICE PHONE NUMBER 103(Traffic Control Room) would enhance the Enforcement set-up and the Fear for law by the Road users.
11. Take up Leading Schools for educating the Children Once in a Week by the Traffic Police or Traffic Wardens
12. Conduct Annual Painting Competition for Children on Road Safety to promote the Childrens' views on Road Safety.

These are very illustrative and not exhaustive. For a real success, it is imperative that there should be a Traffic Committee at the State Level to bring about Uniform Changes and Uniform Codes for all the Traffic Related Regulations covering the Road Engineering, Education and Enforcement.

MASTER PLAN: What is needed is a Master Plan for Goa on Traffic Management. I can say with confidence that wherever Traffic is better Managed, than enforced, there you could find flow of traffic and also the Road Safety.

What Goa needs to day is not hundreds of Traffic Cops standing on the Road and redundantly regulating the traffic; but TRAFFIC SENSITISATION of the Police, Public and the Regional Transport Authorities. Besides, a co ordination or synergy is expected from the Traffic Police and also the Regional Transport Authority is a necessary evil! *

ARTICLE FOR OPINION PAGE VIJAY TIMES
WE THE PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT
Those people


"If you don't get what you like, you like what you get!" is perhaps the expectation graph of an ordinary Indian Citizen. Be it in daily life; be it in Politics!

Though on one side, the Nation is moving its bandwidth into the gateway of prominence, on the other side, the political chemistry does not get figured out in any microbalance or litmus tests!

Witnessing haplessly the surmounting events, in regularity, shake the roots of our faith in the fabric of democracy and the political processes that we have given to ourselves.

In the Words of Abraham Maslow, the motivational psychologist,

"If the only thing you have is a hammer you tend to treat everything as a nail".

It is an easy guess to portray what most of our political gurus think of what they hold and treat the rest of the lots as! Exceptions to this are few.

There could be a realization, in the minds of the lesser fortunates, that politics is the ultimate blanket policy to cover all the prevailing ills in the systems and hierarchy of the Country.

An initiative to bring in the element of "Societal Accountability" is one immediate step that the country could look forward to!

The Political pundits though get accustomed to the Note-pads, are yet glued to the erstwhile systems of vestiges and verbiages.

It will not be out of place to think whether our present political pundits could carry us through the Virtual Realities benefiting the common man, which happen all around the world.


What could be the possible loopholes that need to be plugged in the political journey?

WHY NOT THINK OF ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES?

Resignation of an Elected Office by the politicians should disqualify them from contesting any election in the country for at least 2 Political Terms (10 years)
Politician's appointment is to be construed as that of Full-Time and his erstwhile occupation should close down/change hands.
A Politician's tenure should have a retirement age, as others have.
Multiple-contests by the same person from more than one constituency should be banned, as it is a cost on the exchequer.
If any Politician relinquishes the Office on grounds other than one's own health, or moral responsibility over a disaster, the amount spent from the exchequer for the conduct of fresh elections should be borne by him to a certain extent.
Politician's spouse or close relative should not hold any office under the same Administration.
Politician's spouse should not continue holding any office of profit or a Government Assignment, once the politician is declared as people's representative.
Separate Module to accommodate 'the high profile think-tanks' could be considered, without vesting them with any office of power or profit.
Politician with a record of Economic Default in the society should be disqualified from contesting any election.
Politician's Track record should carry INDEPENDENT RATING by recognized rating Agency –that is verifiable
RISK PROFILE of Politicians should be drawn by Risk Rating Agencies
Any Filing of Income is to be construed as an employment or Office of Profit
Politicians with a HIGH RISK PROFILE should be disqualified as THEY ARE A COST TO THE EXCHEQUER
Political mishaps and derailing of the Rule Tenure should be penalized with disqualification and penalties.
Nexus in any form by the politician should be dealt with firmly.
Part-time Politics could be permissible, project specific and problem specific.
A minimum of 15 Years' Domicile should be insisted on the contestant in that particular constituency.

REVIEW SYSTEM:

Citizens are the shareholders in the welfare of the Country. The Dividends that they get are the Developmental Activities and the economic comforts arising out of such projects.

Corporate Governance is not for Corporates alone! Just think of Extending this to the Political systems; The Audited Constituency Balance Sheet should speak of the societal accountability factor-Quantified and Quality (fied)! In the Age of Right to Information, one should consider the following models:

Like the Annual Balance Sheets of the Corporates and the individuals, the Politicians should publish Annual Balance Sheets of Self on the Website.
Income and Expenditure statements of the concerned Constituency & Audited Balance Sheet should be published every Financial Year, signed by the elected representative, who is accountable for use or misuse.
Development Rating Agencies should award Ratings to the Constituencies Annually.
National level Politician Rating should emerge (apolitical) by leading Rating Agencies.
Like the concept of Cost to the Company, a Politician's (whether in cabinet or not) Cost to the Exchequer should be fixed and any excess should be recovered.
Cost to the Exchequer should be applied to all the political outfits, irrespective of the Ruling Party.

Think of such moves and the percolation of the effects of such moves into the democratic system and its roots!

Is it not the right time to start a "MOVEMENT TO RESTORE DIGNITY in DEMOCRACY?" *

PEOPLE SHOULD DEAL WITH POLICE & NOT POLICE STATION

WHAT GOA NEEDS IS NOT ADDITIONAL POLICE STATIONS: GOA NEEDS MODERN POLICING!

POLICING as a concept is undergoing a tremendous change around the globe. In India, some States have overtaken International Standards in Policing Methods, while rest of the other places are yet to realize the need.

Though Goa is considered a small state, yet we have failed to project the vastness and variance in the terrains and also the intra distances and the percentage of unreachable remote areas as compared to majority of the other States except the Hill States and North East Areas. Goa deserves a mightier Police force; but not to fill the Police Stations!

The geography and contours have not changed much; but crimes and investigation patterns have certainly undergone a change to unbelievable levels. Though the fundamentals of policing remain intact, the edifice built upon needs a new look to match and support the requirements of the current century and to bridge the future.

Modern Policing is concerned more on Crime Management than on vigilance. Policing, Today, could be segmented into localized and centralized activities. Presently, many of the police activities reflect inherent outsourcing qualities. Integration of various activities such as Intelligence, Investigation, Traffic, General Education aims to co ordinate with various local agencies including NGO’s directly or indirectly involved in community policing. Law and Order & Traffic is a localized activity with a Central monitoring.

This is an indication that we need to branch off from the Police Station Model of Policing. What we need is a Police Force Model. Public should no more be concerned to deal with the Local Police. They should deal with the Police Administration and not the Police Station.

Crime Management involves Centralised activities and a Central Command to deploy or activate remote forces spread all over, without the jurisdictional discomforts. This will not only reduce interference in the Law enforcement and related matters by the local ‘forces’, but also promote a Responsive Administration.

In some parts of the Country, there is no need for a complainant to go to the Police Station. Police will reach a person once SMS/ Net Complaint reaches the Police. In the age of PIL (Public Interest Litigation) being filed across the net with PAN identification, FIR could also be filed across the net or SMS.

How would you like if you have to call the Police Call Centre (Not a Control Room!) and come to know of the progress in the case where you have lodged a complaint? An inbuilt response system would also lead to a very reliable Policing and Crime Management.

More and more technology is being improvised to reduce the human intervention in the cumbersome activities of filing complaints and maintaining the registers all through! This does not mean diluting the legal requirements. Legal pundits could ponder over the issues if any!

Goa being a Model State, could aim at establishing a Modern Police Force, compatible to technology developments and technology requirements.

What we need is a VISION for a BETTER TOMORROW*

By N.CHANDRASEKHARAN

A writer, Banker, a Police Traffic Warden, Road Safety Practitioner, former Transport Advisory Committee Member and a Broadcaster.