It has been nearly one month since rains started lashing the city with alarming regularity leaving behind flooded streets and broken infrastructure. With roads inundated and massive traffic jams, commuters have been dreading venturing out of their homes for fear of getting caught in late evening showers on their back.
In these troubling times, the Bangalore Traffic Police have come forward to guide motorists. They are taking to Twitter to share real-time updates on the state of roads and various areas. The flow of information has been constant and reliable, say motorists.
“From broken electric poles to potholes on roads in my area as well as traffic updates, the amount of information that the police are sharing has increased. Earlier, there would be standard messages asking people not to park under trees or to avoid certain roads. Now it's much more. It is heartening to see the police make the effort to take photos and post them on Twitter so that road users can avoid these stretches,” said Rahul Tewari, a resident of Indiranagar, who follows the Twitter handle of the traffic police, which has more than four lakh followers.
Junior officers pool in
In the past few weeks, the flow of information has not been limited to the @blrcitytraffic main handle. Several police stations and junior officers, who had created Twitter handles but had not been using them regularly, have put social media to good use by spreading the word about how water logging has been affecting the flow of traffic. “Our officers are a lot more active now and have been regularly posting pictures,” said Addtional Commissioner of Police R. Hitendra.
However, this is not all. According to field officers, the pictures posted are being followed up with action on the ground.
“We have been co-ordinating with several civic agencies to get the problems attended to on a priority basis. It is no longer just about filling potholes. Police officers are also alerting Bescom, BBMP, BWSSB and the Fire Department, and getting water pumped out from flooded roads and informing the right officials wherever there is a danger of an electricity pole or a tree collapsing,” a senior police officer said.
Who to follow
@blrcitytraffic
@addlcptraffic
Sample tweets
Adugodi Traffic PS @adugoditraffic1
@blrcitytraffic@AddlCPTraffic@DCPTrEastBCP@AcpSe Filling potholes with cement jelly at Potallappa Garden for smooth flow of traffic
CHIKKA JALA TR PS @ChikkajalaTr
@blrcitytraffic water logging at Manpho Manyatha service road slow movement of traffic kindly cooperate. Chikkajala traffic Police
Ashoknagar Tr.PS @Ashoknagartrf
Barricades been placed near a road damage at Dsouza circle due to current heavy rains. Drive carefully
KAMAKSHIPALYA TR PS @kmpalyaTr
Water overflow from Dubasipalya lake Mysore road closed near Mylasandra use Nice road towards Bengaluru and Mysore