Mumbai:
While the city witnessed heavy showers on Monday, sending its residents for cover and bringing vehicular traffic to a standstill, the city's traffic cops, against all odds, managed to keep vehicles moving by standing their ground and directing traffic.
With everything going against their way, as water-logging and vehicle break-downs hindered the traffic movement, the white-and-khaki men pulled out all the stops to ensure smooth traffic flow, and came out trumps.
MiD DAY visited a few places yesterday where they were stationed, and spoke to few traffic cops who did their best by facing the problems head-on. At some places, traffic cops stood for 10-long hours at a stretch to enable traffic flow.
Kalanagar Junction
Constables B G Jadhav, Savita Chavan, Nishikant Patil and Ravikumar Jadhav who were assigned duty at this notorious junction, narrated their ordeal.
B G Jadhav said, "I stay in Kalyan and reached Bandra at 3pm. I had only taken a few biscuits and tea from the roadside stall. Later, in the evening, I couldn't eat any food due to time constraints."
Patil said, "The Kalanagar Junction is the main intersection as it connects both the highways." Chavan added, "With vehicles breaking down in the middle of the road, it created lot of hassles." B G Jadhav finished his shift after midnight. He added, "I had to take an outstation train, and only reached home at 3 am." After a horrid day at the office, the cops were back to duty on time yesterday.
Mahim signal
At this busy junction, two traffic cops Dattatraya Puri and Nitin Jaybhay supervised traffic from afternoon till late night. They stated that one side of the road going towards Mahim causeway had to be barricaded, as water had collected there.
Badlapur resident Puri said, "We were glad that a few commuters, who were stuck in traffic, came and helped us manage traffic. We are very thankful to them." Traffic cops here even filled potholes with cement bags to ease traffic flow. "I finally reached home at 3.30 am. Jaybhay said, "I didn't eat after reaching home, as I have a very bad acidity problem. My legs were throbbing when I reached home."
Sion Junction
Constables Rajesh More and Prashant Jadhav who were stationed here managed traffic the entire day. Jadhav said, "I stay in Dombivali and it was too late to go back home. Therefore, I decided to sleep in the police station. More said, "I was totally wet after water seeped in through my raincoat. We didn't even get a chance to have lunch."