 Early Times Report
Jammu, July 21: The traffic police department of Jammu has a very unique distinction of being men in uniform seen on every nook and corner of the congested Jammu city, generally in hiding, five to six in number, never failing to pounce upon the prized catch on roads, who are mostly two wheeler drivers without helmets.
This phenomenon now is a regular feature in entire Jammu city where blue cops are seen making merry while charging these people with challans and shelling money out of them.
However, today the scene was altogether different and conspicuous too at the busiest canal road- a stretch that serpentines from Jewel chowk to canal head and takes right turn towards IIIM and moves up from Shaktinagar to reach Shakuntala theatre passing through Bakshinagar.
This entire stretch is heavily occupied by men in uniform at various nakaas that generally count to five to six in the number.
Morning 10:45 a.m., heavy downpour takes Jammuites by surprise as strong rain currents lashed the city bringing this particular stretch to screeching halt.
As the vehicles got stationed, one after the other on the road, the rain filled the road with water and sooner the entire area got waterlogged.
The jam and chaos brought the entire system to a halt. Not a single soul from the administration, police or emergency wing came to the rescue of the hostages who stayed put their till 12.30 p.m. until the water receded and the stuck commuters could make their own way to unlock the jam.
Different, because the assembly of traffic cops who are regular harassers of the daily commuters were missing.
Conspicuous, because all were seen scattered here and there, uncared about the problem arisen on ground due to rain and the jam.
Many were caught sipping tea at nearby kiosks, while other were seen sheltering under projected roofs of the shops.
This correspondent, on her way back to office after attending Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh's press conference at his residence, and caught in rain, taking refuge under a banyan tree on the canal road when asked a traffic cop standing nearby as to why he and his department is not in action to clear off the jam, got a usual despicable reply
"This is none of our job," was his reckless response, obviously showing up a disgruntled look for not having made any booty today. |
