Same Complaints, Same Issues mark Police Commissioner’s Phone-In Programme

Same Complaints, Same Issues mark Police Commissioner’s Phone-In Programme

Mangaluru: After a gap of a couple of weeks due to hectic elections, Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil once again carried on with this phone-In programme as usual on Friday, 26 April at the PC Meeting hall. Just like other Friday’s phone-in programmes, today’s callers had no new issues other than the same problems as other days. Week after week, it seems like the citizens have the same kind of problems that they are facing with traffic menace and other MCC neglected issues when they call with their grievances during the Phone-In programme handled by Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil.

This morning, callers highlighted inconvenience owing to haphazard parking, bad footpaths, deteriorating interlocks, rash and negligence bus drivers, illegal parking by two-wheelers, etc, etc. The phone-in programme, which was initiated by his predecessor M Chandra Sekhar, has been continued forward by T R Suresh- and even though not all, quite a few citizens problems have been rectified- and a few are still to be solved.

One caller said that buses don’t ply on their routes regularly putting them in hardship, for which PC said he will take action. Other grievances heard by the Police Commissioner from the callers were: Two-wheeler riders speeding, without helmets, some riding triple, and some have LED lights which are bright creating inconveniences for the oncoming vehicles; Need a barricade near KPT since it is hard for KPT/ITI students to cross the road during peak hours; vehicles parked near the central market creates inconveniences for citizens to walk or shop; Speeding buses are a safety hazard for pedestrians and smaller vehicles.

Some private buses are skipping their schedule, thereby putting commuters in hardship; some buses have stopped plying on Sundays; Interlock bricks near Balmatta circle have deteriorated causing safety hazard to vehicles, especially two-wheelers; Way too may flex hoardings on the dividers opposite Natural Ice Cream on Kadri Road makes hard for people to notice the vehicles coming while crossing the divider; Many of the footpaths have openings in between, which pose danger to pedestrians; Bus shelter are being used by beggars and stray animals, which makes hard for commuters to use the facility; Street vendors are creating nuisance for motorists as well as commuter; stray dogs are a menace for commuters and motorists.

These are among the many grievances that the citizens called in and requested Police commissioner to take action- and in reply PC Sandeep Patil assured them of quick action from his side if the problems belong to the police dept- other issues will be communicated with MCC or other departments to solve the problems. Patil also promised to launch a special drive to clear encroachment of roads and pavements. They will also check vehicles to ensure that they have a proper number plate. Action will be taken against buses that do not follow lane discipline, he said.

DCP Lakshmi Ganesh, Manjunath Shetty- ACP-Traffic; Hanumantharaya-DCP-Law; K T Yogeshwaran- ASI, Diwakar- Police Inspector CCRB; Ms Sreekala K – PSI-CCRB; Harish K Patel- PI-Traffic East; and Krishnanand Naik- PI-Traffic South were present during the phone-in programme.