By Pradeep Singh
Gurgaon, July 30 (IANS) Over 1,500 policemen, including four Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), have been pressed into service in Gurgaon to ensure smooth movement of traffic following the massive rain-related traffic snarls and water logging a day ago that virtually brought the Millennium City to its knees.
Gurgaon police chief Navdeep Singh Virk on Saturday issued an advisory to make the traffic system in this Millennium City smooth.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said that various departments have been asked to take steps to deal with rain-induced traffic snarls and that responsibility will be fixed for lapses in construction work that had reduced the carrying capacity of drains.
Four DCPs have been made nodal officers to ensure smooth traffic movement during this rainy season.
DCP (Traffic) Balbir Singh has been appointed nodal officer for the area from Hans Enclave, close to Rajiv Chowk on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, to Rewari border.
Deepak Saharan, DCP (east), will look after traffic movement between Delhi's Sirhaul border to Rajiv Chowk.
DCP (south) Sulochna has been given responsibility to of traffic movement on Nh248 (Gurgaon to Alwar).
Similarly, DCP(west) Sumit Kohar will be responsible for traffic in the area falling within the old Gurgaon's west police district jurisdiction.
The team of over 1,500 police, including ACPs and 14 police inspectors, have been appointed to ensure smooth traffic movements at 14 crucial points of the city which were identified by Gurgaon police after a massive traffic jam in the city that started on Thursday evening and remained till Friday evening.
The traffic was worst hit at the Hero Honda chowk of Delhi-Gurgaon expressway where vehicles and commuters were trapped in over four feet storm water after the Badshahpur drain breached.
Commissioner Virk said the new advisory will help to ensure traffic jam free monsoon.
He said there would be alert for nodal officers regarding rain and waterlogging in the concerned areas.
The police have to provide hourly updates to the police control room.
Officers on duty cannot leave the place until relievers arrive and his force reports for duty.
The new system was pressed into service on Saturday and positive results were reported across the city, but experts say the real test will begin next week after the first working day on Tuesday as Monday is Maha Shivratri.
Khattar, talking to media persons in Chandigarh, said that water carrying capacity of the Badshahpur drain in Gurgaon had reduced over the years.
"There has been some deficiency in construction works. We will see who were responsible and how to remove the shortcomings," Khattar said.
He said various departments in Gurgaon have been asked to be prepared to deal with waterlogging caused by heavy monsoon rains.
"If such a situation arises, there should be preparedness," he said.
The Khattar government has faced criticism from opposition parties, including Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, for massive traffic jams in Gurgaon induced by monsoon rains.
