With increased VIP movement in the city, traffic cops are spending 35-40 per cent of their working hours making traffic arrangements for top 12 VIPs in the city. Citizens are no better off. Commuting in the West and Central Zones delays each one of us by at least one hour every day for this reason.
Not surprising then that citizens are getting increasingly agitated over the traffic clearance given to VIPs, and are demanding that these exalted personages should do their commuting either before or after peak hours and that the Chief Minister should do everyone a favour and travel by helicopter.
All main roads leading from the West Zone to the Central Zone are affected during the peak hours. The traffic movement is from the West Zone, which includes the CM’s camp office, the Governor’s residence, the Secretariat, Assembly, and the Speaker’s residence, to the Central Zone during the morning hours, and vice versa during the evening hours. “Out of the 13 working hours during which traffic cops are on duty, each spends about four to five hours making arrangements like switching of signals etc. for VIP movement. There are about 12 top VIP officials including the CM, Governor, Speaker, deputy CM etc.” said an official.