If you are travelling regularly on the roads of National Capital, Delhi – just observe the traffic police constables at various traffic signals. You will notice that they very warmly shake hands with private bus drivers. Occasionally, you may find them explaining dress etiquette to them.

Don’t mistake this for the effect of hospitality training imparted to these traffice personnels  before the corruption smitten Common Wealth Games!

These shake hands at every Traffic Signal on the route of these chartered buses, are not for free!    The drivers have to give at least  100 bucks or more per month at every signal to get entry in to the national capital,. During a friendly chat, I learnt from the horse’s mouth  (the constable himself)  that the ‘warmth’ of the hand shake travels to the top.

Even the Buses/RTVs etc which have all the necessary documents like pollution check, insurance, valid driving license, etc, the traffic police then finds fault with the number of passenger.

“How can you carry more than the permitted number of passengers”, they yell at the drivers.  And this argument, puts the drivers on defensive and then to ‘settle the matter in an amicable way’, they readily pay ‘cut’ for the extra heads!  If not the head count, driver’s dress can become another violation of law and the protectors of law won’t allow you to go scot free unless you pay them their ‘due’! Even if there is nothing wrong, then also, no one would like to antagonize them as they have the power of challan a vehicle under numerous traffic laws.

At the traffic signals you don’t make police officer RED or else you will have to shed some good number of GREENs (that is what they call currency notes in this part of the world) This  rule is known to every seasoned driver!

Road Transport Safety Rules are meant  to ensure the safety of the passengers. But, for the famous Delhi traffic Police, these are ‘golden’ words, for their convenience.

Do we, have an efficient  public transport systems in place for 18 million strong  population of Delhi alone? If we take into account the people residing in NCR area, then the situation is really pathetic in this respect? This kind of situation is welcomed by these hungry police.

It is worst for the people living in the NCR region and commute to the Capital for work. Inspite of Metro services but lack of feeder services forced people especially from Ghaziabad and Gurgaon to go for other modes of transport which start from their colonies. They pay more to reach their work place… ‘more’ because the transporter have to share a cut in that with the cops.

In another words, we pay ‘bribe’ to reach the office in time and work!!

As long as ‘sweat’ equity is enjoyed by the all in rank and file  - no body will be ‘caught’.

Tailpiece : It was when the entire nation was rallying behind Anna Hazare against corruption – just few yards away… in front of his camp -  naïve in understanding cops ‘ishaara’, given on previous two days to stop the vehicle for due payments - our new driver Bablu had to pay extra. Our regular driver, Rajesh plays Tom and Jerry with them.