Mumbai Traffic Police

I would commute to Powai via Borivali. Borivali east close to station is always crowded with vendors on roads. I once witnessed 2-3 people from shops pulling out a truck driver and his accomplice and thrashing them with logs for causing increased traffic jam in the area around their shops. I screamed in horror. It was just unbelievable that something like this took place in broad day light minutes away from the police station. But everyone walked away normally as if it is a regular feature.

There exists nothing like traffic management in and around Borivali . Violations of traffic rules have become norm of the day with no citizen fearing law enforcing agencies . Perhaps your columns will be run short of place if we have to narrate instances regarding poor traffic management . Parking outside Borivali by three wheelers ( even in front of the Police station ) to trap innocent public arriving from outstations with luggage is become rampant . Parking inside Railway premises is always full of cabs awaiting long distance passengers and if not successful then do not even remove their vehicles from the parking lot . They are least afraid of any laws . Nuisance of private luxury buses in Borivali (West ) is increasing day by day . It is heard that they have the blessings of a local politician whose relative is the owner of a restaurant located in the vicinity and whose business has flourished due to this movements of luxury buses . Traffic cops are afraid to tackle this menace due to the fear of political backing . I personally had complained to the then Jt CP Mr Date when he visited Borivali Police Station about this nuisance but situation was back to normal within a few days .

A head constable from Mumbai Police has filed a criminal writ petition in the Bombay High Court in which he has alleged that there is a shocking system for corruption and bribery in place in the city's Traffic Police Department.

Sunil Bhagwantrao Toke, the petitioner, has worked with the Mumbai Police for 32 years. From 2014 to 2016, Toke was working with the Traffic Police Department.

In his petition, Toke has alleged that in each region or division of the Traffic Police Department, there are two constables called "cashiers" who are unofficially in charge of collecting daily or monthly 'hafta' (extortion money) from two and four wheeler showrooms. This bribe ranges from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.

Toke has also alleged that the Traffic Police collects daily 'hafta' of Rs 100 or Rs 200 per day. He added that the department also collects Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per month from construction sites in Mumbai for "running ready-mix cement vehicles, sand, bricks and other construction material vehicles".

This petition will be heard in the high court on 23 January. Toke also told Firstpost that he had earlier complained to the Director General of Police and Commissioner of Police but no action was taken.

In his petition, he also alleged that the illegal transportation of sand was rampant in Mumbai because the Traffic Police Department charged Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 for every overloaded sand truck. Illegal school vans and buses were also allegedly allowed to run for Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month.

The department also allegedly took around Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per month from malls, hotels, beer bars and marriage halls for allowing illegal parking of vehicles on the road.

Toke also alleged in the petition that even though only a police sub-inspector or an officer with a higher rank could check documents of vehicles on the roads, traffic police constables and the assistant police sub-inspector also harassed commuters on the road by asking them for documents and "extracting huge amounts without passing any receipts".

The department also collected Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 per month from three-star, four-star and five-star hotels for allowing illegal parking on roads, according to the petition. The department allegedly charged Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 for the shooting of serials, movies or advertisements on the roads.

In cases of drunk driving, the petitioner alleged that even though the concerned team from the department caught 40 to 50 people during a drive against drunken driving (which takes place twice a week), only 5 to 10 cases are officially shown. This is because the others are let off are extracting Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 from them.

I agree with most of the posts on the extremely bad traffic situation all over Mumbai. The points by Mr. Hoogar are very pertinent. The traffic situation in the Western Suburbs has deteriorated to unbelievable levels. The roads between Bandra (W) and Santacruz (W) are all dug up. All roads, lanes and bylanes are simultaneously dug up for unknown reasons. The traffic on these roads have increased a 1000% in the last 2 to 3 years. Traffic jams are a daily feature, especially with the auto rickshaws and motor bikes. Linking road has been dug up for the last 18 months in 5 junctions, and nobody knows exactly what is the purpose for this deep excavations. Lakhs of vehicles pass daily on Linking road, and in these 5 places, traffic jams are unbelievable. Not a single traffic police is there to untangle these jam ups. It takes at an average 45 to 60 minutes to cover a 5 Km distance between Bandra and Santacruz. There are traffic jams not only on the main roads but in the by lanes connecting to the Linking Road. If the Auto Rickshaw drivers are not pulled up for rash and negligent riding, so also the cars and motorcycle riders, I am afraid that one day we will all have to abandon our cars and walk home. The Mumbai RTO and Traffic Dept. of the Police must wake up to this nightmare that we motorists face daily. Further, why has the BMC decided to dig up all the roads between Bandra West and Santacruz West? Is there no survey Dept. to figure out as to how vehicles will ply with all roads and lanes having been dug up simultaneously? With no alternate roads or lanes and no police provided to regulate the traffic. Very poor show by the BMC and the Traffic Police Devision.