Following rules should come naturally to us

The Coastal Road lane towards Worli from Amarsons Junction Lane was closed on the weekend. Pic/Shadab Khan

The Mumbai police have requested the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to install more cameras on the Coastal Road for northbound traffic. The police claimed motorists tend to speed due to a lack of cameras between the tunnel exit and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL), making the area accident-prone. They believe that 30 to 40 additional cameras are needed along this stretch.

The police have also requested access to the live feed from these cameras. Due to geographical constraints, speed breakers cannot be installed inside the tunnel. As a result, people tend to speed near the exit, which could lead to accidents.

It is heartening to note that the BMC has taken cognisance and stated that they are working towards installing more cameras.

Here, it is important to note that disappointingly, it is the cameras and the fines scare that continues to deter people from speeding. Instead, discipline and awareness should come from within. We must have a sense of responsibility on our roads rather than have to be ‘policed" (pun intended) all the time through traffic cops and CCTV surveillance.

This edit space has highlighted earlier, that Mumbai, once known for its orderly traffic and discipline seems to have slipped hugely on the scale. From bikers disobeying traffic signals to coming the wrong way, road rage and speeding, the shine of that crown seems to have dulled.

We are not advocating that cameras should not be installed. In fact, with technological advancement, the highest tech must be used to make our roads safer. Yet, a sense of accountability, the highest respect for human life and a natural adherence to rules should be part of our psyche.

According to a BMC official, 154 cameras have already been installed along the four-km tunnel stretch.