Light batons lose glow

At least 100 fluorescent sticks that had been distributed for use among traffic constables of Ranchi during the National Games have made a disappearing act.

The fluorescent sticks, which had been procured in all earnestness by Ranchi police for Rs 250 apiece before the Games, have either run out of batteries and are warming the storerooms of various traffic police stations or, as a constable pointed out, being used as batons to hit traffic offenders.

The Telegraph, during a recce of the city, found that there were a total of 65 traffic police posts in the city, of which 55 did not have traffic lights and were manned by constables, none of whom carried fluorescent sticks.

The intersections at Ratu Road Chowk, Jail Chowk, Lalpur Chowk, Kanta Toli Chowk, HEC Main Gate, Ratan Talkies Chowk, Sujata Chowk, Sarjana Chowk, Albert Ekka Chowk and one near the SSP's residence were the only ones that had traffic lights installed.

Speaking to The Telegraph on Wednesday, a constable admitted without the fluorescent sticks the commuters were blinded at trafffic signals.

"It becomes very difficult for me to direct the flow of traffic after sundown. Minus the fluorescent sticks, which blinks red and green, the commuters often are not able to follow my signals," he said.

Later during a visit to a traffic police station, this correspondent was told that most of the fluorescent sticks had been lying defunct for over a month as they waited for a fresh stock of batteries. "Each stick requires two electric storage cells to function. As we do not have any batteries in stock at the police station, the fluorescent sticks have been shelved," a constable said.

Contacted, traffic police officer in charge Suresh Prasad Singh admitted that there was a problem but cited helplessness.

"The fluorescent sticks, as of now are used only to streamline heavy traffic during special occasions. Some overworked traffic constables also use these lights, which are made of plastic as batons to discipline violators, which often damages the electric stick besides causing injures to the commuters," Singh admitted.