Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Aug 5: Mangaluru police commissioner Chandra Sekhar, in a novel initiative, held a telephonic interaction with the public from his office here Friday August 5. The phone-in programme was held from 10 to 11 am, and the same schedule will be followed every Friday.

On the first day itself, there were 24 callers in a span of one hour. The police commissioner along with other police officials listened to on various grievances, suggestions and information aired by the citizens. Among the callers, 10 complained about the traffic problem in city.

Callers also drew attention of the police commissioner to problems posed by private buses which pick passengers in the middle of the road instead of halting at the side of the road.

Traffic inconvenience on road near Bharat Beedi office to Kadri Kambala road was brought to the notice of the police commissioner. People also complained that Kinnigoli panchayat has not been co-operating with police in arranging a proper parking space near Kinnigoli bus stand.

Another caller appreciated the police department for solving the traffic problem near Suratkal MRPL cargo gate. The caller congratulated the police on its efforts in preventing road accidents by fixing barricades on national highways.

The callers further suggested the city police to hold awareness programmes on road safety for private bus drivers to curb accidents as well as excessive honking which creates inconvenience to people.

A person complained about the school vehicles which are violating traffic rules on the one-way road near Yekkur. A senior citizen informed about continuous traffic block at Kottara Chowki flyover and appealed to the police commissioner to construct a footpath from Kuntikana AJ Hospital to Kottara Chowki and a bus bay.

Another person also urged the police to construct a bus stand on national highway to ease traffic. As many as five callers informed about drugs menace, illegal liquor trade, gambling and doctors threatening patients' family members in hospitals. Four callers requested to speed-up the probe in cases registered at police stations. Some demanded provide better facilities at police quarters.

Others callers appreciated the police commissioner and his staff for the novel initiative to hold phone-in interaction.