PROF SK. BHALLA
At the outset Shabir Ahmed Malik SSP Highway Traffic deserve accolades for being in the national news for all the wrong reasons. Reportedly in the midst of huge appropriate noises over the halting of thousands of trucks carrying apples on the NH 44, he has been attached by virtue of a Govt. Order issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Mr. R.K.Goyal. It is now being openly bandied that Mr. Malik, reportedly brought a bad name to the most efficient Govt. of J&K.
The fruit growers on the idiot box staged a demonstration in Srinagar on account of delay in clearing the traffic resulting in losses. Apples in the transit had rotten and doctors say an apple a day keeps a doctor away. We are thankful to NDTV for doing some plain speaking unlike Pradeep Dutta of Times Now.
A new gent has been given the additional charge and hopefully she will be careful. A pic of rotten apples was also part of a national English paper. I have met Mr. Shabir Ahmed Malik if my memory doesn’t deceive me, when he was posted as SSP in the VOJ now ACB. He was courteous and extended minimum hospitality that is possible during official hours. It can be safely written that as per my little knowledge he could not show his mettle while performing his duties at VOJ. Some say he is basically an engineer but strayed into Police Dept. May be corrected if possible.
Let Mr. Shabir cool his heels at the new place and Govt. should not be in a hurry to accord him a prize posting. Dereliction of duties is a serious matter but taken non seriously in many cases in our UT. Pressures mount and condign action vanishes into thin air.
Not only NHW, the situation of traffic in Jammu city is also deplorable and the mess have been further complicated by corruption ridden Jammu Municipal Corporation. For the information of LG/CS I am writing once again that the present SSP Traffic Jammu despite his best intentions has not been in a position to decongest the problematic areas which were earlier brought to the notice of the higher authorities. The same old problem of traffic mismanagement, dadagiri of matador drivers and cleaners, overcharging by 3-wheelers is intact. The only agenda is more challans so that revenue is generated in the already financially starved UT. There is great mess on Canal road head and visibly, the administration and super cops of traffic department prefer to turn Nelson’s eye towards it.
On already congested roads, the auto union created unauthorised stands by encroaching road making it problematic for pedestrians and motorists to move freely and safely. The existence of auto stands opposite Rajeev Nagar signal crossing speaks volume about the pathetic working of traffic cops. The auto have permit to operate from Kunjwani to Sidhara but they created a sort of fiefdom on its own on roadside opposite Rajeev Nagar along NHW and traffic cops watch their dance of nuisance helplessly. Still many people are operating their vehicles without following the traffic rules. Over-speeding is also an obsession with youngsters. Many ladies who are not efficient drivers create unruly scenes on the roads but our dear SSP Sharma will not be sighted at critical junctions. Garmi to hai, kaam to karna padega.
Let Mr. Goyal use his good offices to shift Mr. Sharma too. Shifting, transfers, attachments are a part of posting and those officers should be rotated who cannot deliver. Right in front of Crime Branch Jammu I have often seen huge traffic chaos. More mess will be there with the operation of House of Cuisines CPO Chowk, Jail Road, Jammu which recent de-seal by incumbent JMC Commissioner, Mr. Rahul Yadav knowingly that it is operating in flagrant violation of JMC Building Byelaws. Some say that the restaurant has been given the permission to operate in an illegal manner. Yeh Public hei Saab Janti hei. Details shortly.
Satayameva Jayate!
(The author is a retired Principal from HED, J&K and is a well known anti corruption crusader. The views expressed are their own)