Thiruvananthapuram: The
monsoon has arrived and the city experienced continuous rain during the past few days. While everyone is trying to avoid rain, the
traffic wardens in the city, who manage the parking along the notified stretches of city roads, are seen working under the shade of their cap or an umbrella.
During the last monsoon, they were told by authorities that before the next season, they would be provided with raincoats. But, there is no word from anyone even 10 days after the onset of monsoon.
“There are around 100 traffic wardens in the city who work in two shifts a day, for six days a week. We should work whether it is a sunny or rainy day. The corporation has assured us that they will provide us raincoats since the inception of the new pay and park system back in 2016. Two monsoons have passed and we are still left without any raincoats,” says a traffic warden on duty at Thakaraparambu.
Vineeth B S, who has been working as traffic warden for the past eight years, said, “We have been requesting the raincoats for a while now. I used to work in the traffic division before being assigned to the pay and park system. While at the traffic division, it was easier to hold an umbrella in one hand and direct traffic with the other, but, things are not the same in the parking division. I cannot hold the umbrella and issue the parking ticket at the same time,” he said stressing the demand for raincoats.
City mayor VK Prasanth said the demand by wardens was genuine and that would be addressed. “We have received a request regarding the raincoats for traffic wardens. The request was forwarded to the road safety department, who will distribute the raincoats soon,” he said.
