Mumbai: Kids show how to sort out Vile Parle's traffic woes

Local residents (right), too, have joined the kids' initiative for better traffic management. Pics/Bipin Kokate

The traffic woes of Vile Parle have inspired some of its teenagers to put their summer vacations to good use. After their routine sports practice at the Parle Tilak ICSE school grounds, the children take to the roads, urging errant motorists to follow traffic rules. The initiative has so impressed the local residents that many have come forward offering to support GenNext in the effort.

Residents of Orlem in Malad West had begun a similar drive of confronting traffic offenders. The youth initiative has received a good response on social networking sites too. "Kudos to these Vile Parle teenagers who request offending vehicles to follow traffic discipline on the one-way lane in front of Parle Tilak ICSE school. Sometimes they are met with rude vehicle owners who threaten them. @MumbaiPolice, can't their efforts be supported? @CPMumbaiPolice," the twitter account of Vile Parle esidents‏ @vlpresidents read.

A resident who is a part of the initiative said , "The children, in the age group of 10 to 15, appeal to the violators to follow traffic rules. There are some who listen to the kids but some try to overpower them. We will be assembling to help the kids in the good work they have undertaken." On October 3, mid-day had also reported about Orlem locals undertaking a similar initiative.

Also Read: Mumbai: Orlem locals catch vehicles on the wrong side of the law

Fed up of mounting accidents and fatalities, the residents joined hands with the local police to stop those driving on the wrong side. "There have been several incidents where people enter the one-way lanes between Parle Tilak school and the adjoining areas causing inconvenience to senior citizens. This can also be dangerous. The children are doing a good job," the local corporator, Abhijeet Samant said, as he interacted with two-wheeler riders and motorists here. A local resident had earlier written three letters to the traffic police regarding the issue but no steps were taken to resolve the matter.

Traffic cops were also seen fining offenders on Wednesday night

Traffic cops follow suit

The students have also begun making rounds on the internal roads on their bicycles to stop errant bikers from entering the one-way lane. On Wednesday, the traffic police too were present at the spot, fining violators. Residents told mid-day that the initiative was started by people associated with the Swachch Parle Abhiyaan. Arnav Sawant, 12, and Rajesh Khadekar, 14, were also seen on their bicycles after their routine Volleyball practice.

"We have been doing this for close to a year now but have increased the frequency during vacations with many children gathering here for their sports practice in the evenings. Post our practice, we move in groups and request two-wheeler riders and motorists wrongly using the one-way to follow traffic rules and explain it to them in very polite words," said Arnav Sawant, a student of the Parle-Tilak Vidyalaya.

Also Read: Mumbai: Drop in road accident deaths in city, suburbs

Apart from traffic discipline, locals have also been complaining about the inadequate lighting in the internal lanes in the area. "A two-wheeler riding on the wrong side of the road has tried to dash into me twice. The only way to solve this is if the traffic police take strict action against offenders," a senior citizen said.

Local residents have been stepped in to help the kids convince traffic violators to mend their ways

Also Read: Mumbai: MMRDA to make all internal roads in G block in BKC one-way for 2 months

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