One tends to walk past traffic police personnel regulating traffic on a busy road. However, an unusual sight beckons onlookers at Big Bazaar Street: a senior citizen blowing a plastic whistle and gesturing the vehicles to move ahead along side the regular traffic police personnel.
This man is K.E. Sulthan, who at the age of 82 has been voluntarily regulating traffic in parts of Coimbatore city for more than three years. He is employed as a sweeper and cleaner in Athar Jamaath Masjid at Big Bazaar Street, where he also resides during the night. “After finishing my morning prayers, I head straight to Coimbatore Railway Station,” he said, to regulate traffic from 7 a.m to 10 a.m. From there, he heads to Big Bazaar Street or other locations such as Ukkadam and Selvapuram. “I do not have any fixed plans. Wherever there is more traffic, I will go,” Mr. Sulthan said. He either takes the bus or walks to these spots, he claimed.
Mr. Sulthan said that prior to this he used to regulate traffic in a few parts of Singanallur and Peelamedu nearly 15 years ago. “Back then, I used to run away at the sight of police!” he quipped. For the past four years, however, he said that he had gathered the courage to stand side-by-side with the traffic police and regulate traffic.
His routine
His routine stretches from 7 a.m. all the way till 11 p.m. Although his son and daughter live in Thudiyalur and Kavundampalayam respectively, he only visits them occasionally as he prefers staying at the mosque. He learnt all the traffic rules and techniques to regulate traffic with years of experience.
Even at 82, he does not wear glasses.
‘Refuses gifts’
The police personnel are all praises for Mr. Sulthan. M. Sekar, Special Sub-Inspector, Bazaar police station, said Mr. Sulthan has refused to accept any gifts from the police. “He is always there whether police are there or not,” he said.
A traffic policewoman at Big Bazaar Street, who preferred not being named, said that the public tend to be more responsive when Mr. Sulthan regulated traffic out of respect for him. “We even offered him a uniform to wear,” she said.
However, Mr. Sulthan said that he preferred being a member of public and assisting the police. Although he gets ₹ 300 per week from the mosque, there are no other streams of income for him. “I tried applying for the old age pension,” he said, claiming that his attempts failed to materialise.
Mr. Sulthan said that his family members and many others have told him to avoid indulging in this activity, but he continued nevertheless. “I do not know why I like doing this. I am doing this out of my own interest,” Mr. Sulthan said and went back to regulating traffic on the busy street.
