THE UNRULY TRAFFIC IN GREATER NOIDA – THE SMART CITY BY VANITA SRINIWAS

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THE UNRULY TRAFFIC

Rules are meant to inculcate a culture of orderliness and organized system in place. Following traffic rules becomes all the more important because, a minor lapse may result in major casualties. A small mistake results in a game of life and death. A disciplined driving saves not only your life but those driving beside you and the most importantly the pedestrians around you.

Knowing the traffic rules is one thing and following it another. The irony of the fact is that we work hard to learn every bit of the rule and work harder to evade it.

My city, Greater Noida, is a planned city, with well laid roads and lanes. To drive here should have been driver’s delight. But, alas that is not so. People break rules so blatantly that it becomes an ordeal to drive through. It’s heart breaking to witness the chaotic order prevalent here.

It is extremely demoralizing and dispiriting to look on the people violating rules, jeopardizing several lives, all in the name of saving a few moments. The message important here, is to save lives and not moments.

I often come across parents driving on the wrong way, early morning to drop the kids to school. What sort of a message are we driving home. Are we not conveying to our kids that One, its okay to flout rules and go the wrong way, Second, time management is not necessarily important and Finally when in hurry, it is justified to break rules.

How do we expect our future generation to be disciplined when their elders are so contemptuous of the rules?

It is never too late to mend things.

Ours is a city of noticeable heterogeneity.  Spaces divided between Plotted and Builders area, are blooming with the vibrancy of kids, sobriety of Senior Citizens, intellectualism of the executives and energetic Students/PGs.

It would be thoroughly wonderful if the schools adopt a particular sector, to create awareness regarding traffic discipline. One hour a week, the school kids should come on roads andurge the drivers to follow the rules.

Likewise the college students should educate the auto rickshaw drivers to respect traffic rules.

The senior citizens, if possible should man important intersections for one hour at their convenience. It’s high time we realize that rules are being followed not to appease the Government, or the Traffic Police or  to avoid paying the penalties but to inculcate discipline of highest order and save precious lives.

Six years ago, Dorris Francis lost her daughter in a nasty but avoidable accident on NH 24. Till date Dorris religiously stands at that very spot to regulate the traffic. She doesn’t want any other parent to undergo the pain she suffered. True to her efforts not a single accident has taken place again.

Lets not wait for one more Dorris to come and regulate the traffic here. Lets commit to follow the rules and enjoy the life and drive. Lets create an example.

 

Pls e mail ur comments at  ncrdelhi@tennews.in

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