Traffic signals for common man, not for Omar’s cavalcade

JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah’s cavalcade stopping at a traffic signal is not a practice in the winter capital. It was only once on May 16 in the summer capital, Srinagar, when his cavalcade stopped at a traffic signal till it turned green. But here in Jammu, when Omar’s cavalcade move through roads all traffic signals are being put on red light and no traffic is allowed till chief minister’s cavalcade proceeds. This is leading to nightmare of traffic jam in the old city area.

In Srinagar, when the chief minister’s cavalcade had stopped at a red traffic signal it was termed exemplary behaviour for others to follow. But now, the things have changed and instead people stop for chief minister’s cavalcade.

On Sunday evening, when the chief minister was heading towards his residence at Wazarat road in Jammu, the traffic on the road was stopped by the traffic police officials and traffic signals were put off.

“Does the chief minister have the right to break traffic rules and make people suffer? Can’t his cavalcade respect traffic signals which his government has installed for free and smooth flow of traffic,” asked Shankar Sharma, a biker who was waiting for green signal from traffic police at Vivekananda chowk to head towards his destination.

Not only the chief minister, his ministers too don’t follow traffic rules in Jammu and the traffic authorities instead of doing their duty remain in waiting to help these ministers to break the signal and reach their destination without any stopping.

“I have seen many a time that even ministers don’t wait for signals to go green. Whenever any minister’s vehicle moves through the road, traffic authorities swing into action and help them to break rules,” alleged Amit Sharma, a university student. “Why don’t these ministers and bureaucrats follow rules and regulations?” asked Sharma and added that politicians won’t respect rules then what could we expect from the common man?