Mission ‘10th pass’ to cut traffic chaos

Rather than remain mute spectators to the ever-increasing traffic chaos in the city, the Save Pune Traffic Movement (SPTM), formed by a group of citizens, has decided to step in.

Come January, SPTM will launch "Mission 10th Pass" urging people to follow 10 basic traffic rules, step by step, one at a time. The long-term campaign has the sole objective of improving traffic scenario. At the end of the mission, SPTM hopes to discipline people and declare Pune as "10th Pass", as far as following simple traffic rules is concerned.

"The traffic scenario is bad and road mishaps perhaps take more lives than crime. The responsibility of improving the situation lies with the government machinery as well as citizens. At the same time, it's true this is not possible for any single entity, whether the government or the citizens," said Harshad Abhyankar of SPTM.

He said, "Instead of working separately, if all of us work in unison, traffic discipline can be enforced. We carried out a joint experiment with the traffic police in Kothrud in February-March 2008 and noticed an improvement in just six weeks. It proved traffic discipline can be achieved without deployment of large resources," he added.

The drive is likely to be launched during Road Safety Week in January. As per plan, traffic police will enforce a traffic rule after citizens are made aware of it. Schools, colleges, mohalla committees and citizens' clubs will spread the message. Pune Municipal Corporation will ensure that stop lines and zebra crossings are painted.

After a very high level of compliance is reached, the procedure will be repeated with the next rule. STPM member Neelima Thatte said, "There will be sustained implementation. Rules will be enforced step by step and one at a time. Only when it is largely followed by people, would we move to the next rule."

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