Pics: Ramesh Pandith

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)

Mangaluru, Mar 2: Police commissionerate and traffic department, on Friday, March 2, felicitated city traffic wardens at the police commissioner office.

T R Suresh, police commissioner, Hanumantharaya, IPS, DCP (Law and Order), Uma Prashanth, KSPS, DCP (Crime and Traffic) and veteran traffic warden Joe Gosalves were present.

Commending the service of traffic wardens in the city, T R Suresh said, “Mangaluru is growing rapidly. Along with development, people’s lifestyle is also changing. There is a huge increase in the number of vehicles in city. Traffic officials are facing difficulties in controlling traffic in the city mainly due to the various development projects undertaken in the city. Meanwhile, narrow roads in the city also lead to heavy traffic in the peak hours,"

"We have 6.50 lac vehicles registered under Mangaluru and Bantwal RTO. Several vehicles enter the city from neighboring state Kerala as well. We have four traffic police stations in city, but there is high pressure on traffic police personnel. Two and half years ago, under ACP Udaya Naik, traffic warden system was introduced in the city. Joe Gonsalves, now a 96-year-old senior citizen and a true lover of the city, voluntarily came forward to become a traffic warden. From the past two and half years, he is continuously rendering his service as the chief traffic warden. I thank him for his service which he is doing without any remuneration. He is a role model for all of us who think about social responsibility," he added.

“Today, we have eleven traffic wardens in the squad. Traffic wardens spend their valuable time to maintain smooth traffic in the city. They also help traffic police to levy fine on traffic offenders. I am thankful to all of them. I cannot evaluate their service in words. It is my kind request to associations and organisations who are engaged in various social activities in the city to join traffic warden squad. If they show special interest in maintaining traffic in the city, definitely, we can get more members enrolled as traffic wardens," he informed.

“I thank NRI businessman Micheal D’Souza for his concern towards traffic wardens. He has sponsored the cash prize for each warden considering their service and social responsibility. There is no doubt that Micheal’s act of generosity will encourage our traffic wardens,” he said.

Joe Gonsalves said, “Being human, we should have the obligation to help people. Serving the public is a social responsibility and everyone should do this. When we think of doing something good for the society, we get various options to do so. When I decided to serve people, I got the idea of traffic warden. ACP Udaya Naik supported me. Now it is my request to all, especially young people, that they should join this squad in large numbers.”

Along with Joe Gonsalves, traffic wardens Roshan Patrao, Deenath D’Sa, Maxim Francis Moras, J Mohammad, James Madtha, Sujith Noronha, Mary Periera, Mavis Rodrigues, Clifford D’Souza, Joel Ashok Fernandes, and Harry Prashanth Miranda were feliciated by the police commissioner with cash, memento and shawl.