The Bengaluru traffic police is now stepping into commuters' shoes to improve daily travel. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru South-Traffic) Shivaprakash Devaraju, on August 26, launched the 'Join The Commute' campaign (jointhecommutebstp.in).
Devaraju told Moneycontrol that this initiative is the first of its kind in the country. “People can register online, and we will contact them to find out where they start their office commute. I will go there and travel with them. I’m planning to select two to three people daily, depending on availability, during morning and evening peak hours. We will inform them in advance about the plan,” said Devaraju.
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“Since they travel the same route daily, they are more familiar with the problems. I will also ask Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) also to participate in the commutes. We’re starting this in the South division, but it will be extended to other divisions based on its success,” he said.
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“In some areas, infrastructure work is ongoing, and there may not be much we can do, but at least from the traffic police side, we can launch a crackdown on parking violations, footpath riding, and also review U-turns and traffic signal timings. I will also wear a body-worn camera to document the experience,” said Devaraju.
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Commuters can register and share their daily route and preferred modes of transport (bus, car, bike, etc.) through a registration form on the portal (jointhecommutebstp.in). Selected commuters will have senior police officials join them on their daily commute from home to work or vice versa. Officials will experience the commute, observe challenges like traffic congestion and delays, and engage in discussions about potential improvements. Based on the insights from road users and the DCP’s observations, Bengaluru traffic police plans to develop real-time solutions to improve traffic flow and road safety.
Also, read: Tech hub Bengaluru ranks 6th most congested city globally in 2023: TomTom report
Tech and startup capital Bengaluru remains India's most congested city in 2023, according to the traffic index released by TomTom, a Dutch location technology specialist. The report shows Bengaluru in sixth place in the global ranking of the most congested cities in 2023, improving from its second-place position in 2022.
Also, read: Bengaluru traffic police launches AI-powered ASTraM; to provide congestion alerts
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