He handles one of the heaviest traffic junctions of the city -- at the Blind Peoples' Association, Vastrapur. He's a traffic cop at heart, though not a trained policeman.
Slum boy Ramesh Thakore, 22, guides lakhs of vehicle drivers in the city every day. He handles one of the heaviest traffic junctions of the city -- at the Blind Peoples' Association, Vastrapur. He's a traffic cop at heart, though not a trained policeman.
Right now, because of the wedding season, vacation time and severe heat, many traffic cops are not on duty and, reportedly, the traffic department is facing one its worst manpower shortages. But this slum boy stands out for his duty. "I love guiding the vehicles out of the traffic," said Thakore, who has been regulating traffic at this junction for the past two years.
He says, "I started watching the activity at various traffic booths since I was 12 and picked up the traffic rules when I was 15." A modern day 'Eklavya,' Thakore has observed carefully the traffic cops (his Dronacharyas) at work and has picked up not only the basic traffic rules, but also the art of showing sides, throwing the stick at signal jumpers and blowing a stern whistle to draw the attention of the public.
Regular passers-by say that Thakore is good in his work and ably guides the traffic even during the wee hours. DNA found that as the temperatures soar to intolerably high levels at noon and when many of the cops on duty hide themselves under trees or any available shade, Thakore is busy doing his chores and seldom shies away from his voluntary duty.
Vishal Amin, 37, a pipe-manufacturer residing at Sunrise Society who crosses Vastrapur crossroads at least twice a day,, says, "Thakore is a dedicated boy and he sometimes helps people stuck in traffic jams. I have often observed that even if there is no policeman around, Thakore regulates the traffic like an experienced officer."
Many people share Amin's view. A cop belonging to the traffic riders category, who has to take control room calls and hop between signals to manage the traffic movements at dense points, says "Thakore is good at work, and that's why we end up paying less number of visits to this junction, compared to other heavy traffic points."
Thakore neither has a uniform nor a traffic cop's badge and gets no salary for his work. However, that doesn't seem to bother him. "Many people appreciate my work and give me a few bucks. Some cops get me food and chai - that's enough for me.”
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