Kiran Bedi says will make efforts to resolve Puducherry's traffic issues

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, who had the reputation of being a tough IPS officer, conceded Tuesday that she has "failed" in effectively managing the chaotic traffic in the Union Territory. 

Bedi, who earned the epithet of 'crane Bedi' after she was claimed to have towed away a car of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi, stressed on strict enforcement of traffic rules in Puducherry. 

The former IPS officer was said to have ordered the prime minister's vehicle to be towed away when it was parked in a no-parking zone in Connaught Circus when she was posted in the national capital as a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP). The prime minister was not in the car. 

It, however, later transpired that it was not the IPS officer but a sub-inspector named Nirmal Singh, who reported to her, had challaned the driver for wrongly parking the vehicle. 

"...but as the administrator of Puducherry, I have failed in traffic management and I openly admit it now," she said inaugurating a one-day workshop on traffic management organised by the transport department. 

Bedi said efforts should be made to put Puducherry's traffic in order without any loss of time. Addressing the workshop organised in association with the public works department and Puducherry police, she said these departments, should coordinate with the road engineering and education departments to improve the situation. 

The Lt Governor released a booklet on new motor vehicle regulations drafted by Director of Institute of Road Transport Engineers, New Delhi, Rohit Baluja who was among those present at the workshop. 

Stressing the need for additional traffic surveillance cameras and wearing of helmets by two-wheeler riders, Bedi asked school principals to play the role of police wardens to manage the traffic in the interest of the safety of the students. Baluja said there should be a check on speeding vehicles and referred to the lack of proper signage mentioning speed limits. 

The workshop was held as part of a training programme for the staff of various agencies and departments in line with the recommendations of the committee set up by the Supreme court on road safety.

(With inputs from agencies.)