Outsourcing traffic management

Road widening for a flyover has left Bangalore’s irate commuters with no traffic light at the Hennur signal. The Traffic Police’s solution however, has only made things worse. They’ve deployed personnel to regulate traffic at the signal. Only, these ‘traffic cops’ are poorly trained private security guards.

Sixteen security guards from Scorpion Securities, an ISO certified security company, were hired to man the Hennur and Kalyannagar traffic signals, according to Uthappa, the company’s field officer.

“The security guards report to the Banaswadi Traffic Police station and work in 12-hour shifts at these signals,” Uthappa said.

Daily commuters and residents from around this area however, have much to complain about this move.

“It’s quite evident that these security personnel are very poorly trained,” said Sam Bushi, a resident from Hennur Cross. “They haven’t the slightest clue about regulating two-way traffic. Quite often, they don’t even know how long to let traffic run for, before they close a lane. This takes just basic common sense.”

The Banaswadi Police Station says that the situation is just temporary.

“The reason we’ve hired them is because of the construction of a flyover across the Hennur Ring Road. The traffic lights have been uprooted and so we need personnel at the signal to direct traffic,” said station writer David, speaking on behalf of the Sub-Inspector, who was on field duty.

However, the Banaswadi Police Station refused to comment on suggestions that the station was understaffed. They said that the Traffic Training Institute was in charge of hiring and training traffic personnel.

Bangalore’s Traffic Training Institute drew a bleak picture, admitting that the traffic force was severely understaffed.

“We have gotten used to being short of traffic cops,” said S.A Pasha, the ACP at the Institute’s Traffic Management Centre. “We train anyone from the general public who wants to learn and volunteer to regulate traffic.”

“The training given to the Scorpion personnel lasts for two days and is very basic. We show the group how to regulate traffic and halt vehicles as they park,” he added.

He also said that many of security guards were ‘illiterate’ and ‘needed instructions on crossing roads.’

Meanwhile, commuters worry that these private traffic personnel lack the authoritative presence of a regular traffic cop.

“Most commuters are now aware that security guards are controlling the traffic at the Hennur signal,” says P. Dharamraj, a resident of the area. “Some people don’t take their authority very seriously and jump traffic signals,” he said.