Florine Roche
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Nov 27: That the Nanthoor junction is the most unscientific, bizarre and a chaotic traffic circle in Mangaluru has been highlighted by the media time and again. Just yesterday, Wednesday November 26, two young lives were lost when a truck and a bus collided near the junction, once again raising questions about road safety at this spot.

It is said to be the one traffic circle probably in the world constructed with a dangerous gradient without having a horizontal area around the circle. But Mangaloreans are known for living amidst chaos and somehow we have been managing. Two-wheeler riders ‘manage somehow’ by wriggling through narrow gaps others get caught in long traffic snarls especially during peak hours. Despite the chaotic scene there is one silver lining at this junction which daily commuters might have notice. There are at least three to four traffic police posted here and among them two women police attract our attention for their no nonsense approach in dealing with traffic violators and ruffians who add to the existing traffic chaos.

ASI Rosamma P P and Home Guard Champa Shaktinagar manage traffic circles in different parts of the city as part of their duty. But probably Nanthoor circle being the most disordered of circles traffic violators must have faced some admonitions from either of these two whenever they are posted here. Be it those who ride with a plastic helmet or those who wear their helmet everywhere else except on their head, those who create obstruction riding or driving on the wrong path or treble riders they have to face the wrath of Champa and cannot escape from her lynx-eyed vigil. Be it hot sun or rain, pollution, morning, noon or evening, she is diligent and those who breach traffic rules are sure to get a piece of advice from her for minor violations.

“Two wheeler riders are the biggest offenders of traffic rules. They just want to make way and be on the safer road at the earliest at any cost and therefore aggravate the traffic snarl. It is my duty to ease traffic and also see that people follow traffic rules so that traffic jam can be avoided” says Champa who stands just five feet tall. But no one can take panga with her and she will not tolerate or spare anyone breaching rules. She has very efficient in controlling errant riders and bringing some normalcy for the otherwise disorderly traffic at this junction.

Some who violate rules and manage to get away on any particular day may think they have fooled the traffic police. But they will be awakened to a rude shock when they are served with a notice at their homes for traffic violations as she takes down their numbers and gives is to the higher officials. As a result most of the ruffians or those not following rules are cautious at least when they approach this circle or wherever Champa is on duty. “Sometimes three people go in single bike and the third person closes the number plate with his hands and they may have the last laugh. They get away once or twice. But they will be caught if not one the same day some other time”.

Champa is a home guard and she has been put on traffic duty from February 2014 for a period of three years. In 2011-12 she served as traffic police in NMPT circle where she had to manage huge Lorries, tankers amidst dust, heat and other pollution. People call her as stern, harsh and strict but she says she just ensures people adhere to traffic rules and follow discipline. When asked what makes her a strict traffic police she says that her two year experience in handling traffic in NMPT circle has taught her to handle any kind of traffic. “In NMPT the drivers of huge vehicles and tankers used to break traffic rules and run amok without following any discipline. So I had to be stern to bring some discipline to manage traffic and that experience has come in handy now in handling any kind of traffic”, says Champa.

At 48 it is not easy standing whole day, managing the heat, ultraviolet rays of the son, pollution and errant traffickers. But Champa has managed it with panache and that is quite an achievement.

Similarly ASI Rosamma PP is also managing traffic at different circles in the city and is known to be quite a taskmaster to errant drivers and riders. “People may call me strict and quite ruthless. But in reality I am just doing my duty diligently. But I am quite a taskmaster for those who don’t possess licence or documents or those who don’t wear a helmet. “The problem with the Nanthoor junction is that all the four roads touch one another and therefore we have to release traffic one by one. As a result we the traffic police have to be circumspect and ensure smooth traffic flow”.

Rosamma says that it is the present generation two-wheeler riders who pose greatest challenge to traffic police”. This generation youngsters lack patience and they may barge from any side. They don’t bother about others. Their only concern is wriggle themselves out of the traffic by hook or crook and be on the safer road at the earliest. Their erratic actions and attitude is a big problem for the traffic police’, Rosamma says. Rosamma says she is used to the hard rigours of managing traffic as she has been working for eight years now.

“The tough conditions are part of our duty and we come across all sorts of people. Initially I used to face problem from drunkers. So the environment, the situation and experience makes us tough to deal with any kind of challenge”, she reasons.

Now it is said that an underpass is proposed at this junction which may become a reality soon. Of course, we have to take it with a pinch of salt till it becomes a reality. But as long as we have efficient and vigilant traffic cops like Champa, Rosamma the show goes on.