Hyderabad: The Traffic Police and the National Service Scheme (NSS) have initiated a program to engage NSS volunteers in traffic regulation and to promote road safety awareness among Hyderabad’s citizens.
The event was attended by Mr. Ravi Gupta, IPS, Director General of Police, Mr. Burra Venkatesham, IAS, Principal Secretary of Education for Telangana, and Mr. K. Sreenivasa Reddy, IPS, Commissioner of Police for Hyderabad City. The decision to utilize NSS volunteers focuses on three critical areas: Traffic Management, Safety of the Girl Child, and Awareness Against Spy Cameras in Business Establishments. These initiatives are crucial steps toward creating a safer and more informed community.
In the initial phase, 300 NSS volunteers will receive training on Traffic Regulation and Education from the Hyderabad Traffic Police at the Traffic Training Institute in Goshamahal. Each training batch will consist of 100 NSS volunteers who will learn about traffic rules, safety, drills, and hands-on practical training at junctions.
The services of NSS volunteers will be utilized at major junctions, pelican signals, bus bays, foot over bridges (FOBs), etc., with a focus on traffic regulation and spreading road safety awareness. Key areas of focus include:
Maintaining the stop line and free left at junctions.
Assisting pedestrians in crossing roads at junctions and pelican signals.
Educating pedestrians on using FOBs.
Encouraging passengers to stay within bus shelters for hassle-free bus movement at bus bays.
Sensitizing motorists about wearing helmets, fastening seat belts, avoiding triple riding, signal jumping, wrong-route driving, and other safety practices.
Mr. P. Viswaprasad, IPS, Additional Commissioner of Traffic Police, highlighted that India accounts for 11% of global road accidents despite having only 1% of the world’s vehicle population and 2% of its road network, underscoring the severe traffic issues. In Hyderabad, 15,000 traffic violation challans are issued daily, yet deterrence remains ineffective. Thus, raising awareness and public sensitization is imperative.
Burra Venkatesham, IAS, Principal Secretary of the Education Department, Telangana, and State In-charge of NSS, Telangana, commended the pioneering community service work of NSS volunteers. He expressed satisfaction with NSS volunteers joining community policing efforts to promote traffic awareness during peak hours. He also mentioned that in the future, students, NSS volunteers, Bharat Scouts and Guides, and Red Cross society members will collaborate with the police department for community policing to enhance city safety. All 30,000 NSS volunteers in Hyderabad will play a crucial role in community policing.
Mr. Ravi Gupta, IPS, Director General of Police, Telangana, emphasized the importance of traffic management, affecting everyone. NSS volunteers trained in traffic regulation will further train their peers, spreading traffic awareness and discipline among commuters.
Mr. Sreenivasa Reddy, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City, noted that out of 30,000 NSS volunteers in the city, 20,000 are girls and 10,000 are boys, ranging from intermediate to postgraduate levels. He urged motorists to follow lane discipline and act responsibly on roads by avoiding speeding, overloading, triple riding, using mobile phones while driving, not wearing helmets, drunk driving, and racing.
He highlighted that the Hyderabad Traffic Police operate under various weather conditions and coordinate with GHMC to clear waterlogging for smooth traffic flow. He advised establishments to allocate 40% of their space for vehicle parking and construct vertical parking lots. He also encouraged NSS volunteers to train their fellow students, parents, relatives, and neighbors, which will help change road behavior. Venkateshwarlu, IPS, DCP Traffic-III, N. Ashok Kumar, DCP Traffic-II, Prof. Sudharani, NSS Coordinator for Hyderabad, officers of the Hyderabad Traffic Branch, and NSS volunteers also attended the program.
Our Citizen Reporter – Telangana
Mr. Bharath Reddy
