Lady Luck seems to have deserted the traffic personnel posted at Harrington Road junction, again. On September 21, residents of Harrington Road and passers-by were puzzled by the presence of a huge and colourful police booth perched atop the traffic island at the intersection of Harrington Road and Spurtank Road.
However, in less than four days, the ‘red box’ went missing. It was later learnt that the traffic authorities themselves had removed it.
“The police booth was installed by authorised personnel, however, prior permission was not sought before it was installed. It was therefore removed,” says V. Sasi Mohan, Deputy Commissioner Police (Traffic-East), Chennai.
“The new police booth was too big and was protruding outside the traffic island, which was in violation of the standard norms. A police booth has to be within the boundaries of the traffic island. Besides, it was impeding the flow of traffic,” he adds.
The dismantled pieces of the police booth now found dumped on one end of the pavement.
Incidentally, this is not the first time that the traffic booth at one of the busiest junctions of the city is being installed and then removed.
Until 2015, the traffic personnel used the G7 Chetpet traffic post and police station, placed on the pavement near the junction. They kept their official records, wrote reports, changed uniforms and had meals within the tiny booth.
In early 2016, as Harrington Road was wearing a new look, the outpost-cum-station was removed, thereby paving the way for the pavement-widening work. A poky little police booth, with hardly any space for one person to stand and sit, instead became their new office.
“We go to F3 Police Station in Nungambakkam to write reports and maintain all official records,” informs one of the traffic personnel. “All we request is a better booth to sit, eat and change our uniforms,” he added.
Support from residents
The Harrington Road Residents Association (HRRA) has always been working hand-in-hand with the traffic police.
They have lent a helping hand wherever needed: like sponsoring buttermilk every day; arranging a space in the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged to let the traffic personnel take a break; and deploying marshals to assist the officials in some of their duties. This time too, residents have come forward in favour of the traffic cops.
“We approached the Chennai Corporation to grant the Association permission to set up a police booth within the traffic island as a goodwill gesture for the services of the traffic personnel,” says a member of HRRA.
In fact, Association members had a discussion with the traffic personnel, seeking to understand their requirements.
“We learnt that they require ample space to write and file reports, the lung space to eat and relax. We don’t want them to be ‘stuck’ in that space.
“Accordingly, we put forward our suggestion to the Regional Deputy Commissioner – Traffic. We even spoke to the authorities to arrange for toilet facilities inside the Corporation Park on Harrington Road,” she says.
“We are currently waiting for permission from the officials,” she says.
