City Pulse

FACEBOOK PAGE AS A NEW TRAFFIC MANUAL

June 10, 2014 By Team ICMYC
S.N. Ravishankar vowed to take steps to reform the haphazard traffic system, since the loss of his beloved. Moved by Jairam’s death, Ravishankar launched a Facebook page to spread awareness on traffic rules and regulations in the city. This resolve also had an emotional angle to it. Recalling his demised friend’s mother, he found that even with the passage of three decades since her son’s death, the 85 year-old woman still regrets the day when she lost her only son. She faced the trauma that accompanies a sudden death of a beloved. Seeing immense pain in her eyes, he resolved to make a difference. He said, “The pain within me ignited the fire of JOY (Jayaram’s nick name) to stifle others’ pain.”
 
To begin with, he gave up personal transport. He planned to use social media as a platform to spread awareness on traffic rules and attempt to save thousands of lives that face risk of road accidents. Ravishankar started a group on Facebook named ‘JOY’ to provide guidelines on traffic rules. He sent out requests to users to join and participate. It eventually became very prominent and more people started to join. Ravishankar is pursuant to the extent that he regularly spends several hours on Facebook page. Using this platform, he spreads messages on traffic rules, conducts workshops and answers the queries of people. He feels that the responsibility of traffic-control does not lie on traffic police alone but also on people as well.
 
Ravishankar points at the lack of awareness on traffic rules and regulations that has led to increase in road accidents. He seeks to provide all relevant information on traffic rules and regulations. To gain more information on traffic management in the city, he started visiting traffic management centers managed by Karnataka Traffic Police. He made a list of all areas that have highest number of traffic woes and began visiting these areas.
 
He says “In my off-time, I visit various places and distribute pamphlets and even instruct commuters on traffic rules”. He coordinates with traffic police to draw solutions and encourages people to attend workshops held on traffic regulations. He conducts orientation programmes for various top IT companies and bank employees. He has also participated in different shows at important junctions such as Anil Kumble Circle, Mysore Bank Circle and Cunningham Road.
 
Various companies have recognized his novel efforts. This is evident as these companies have come forth to sponsor activities of printing banners and hand bills for road shows.
As a gesture of appreciation of his initiatives, M A Saleem who is the Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), has appointed him as a member of the traffic advisory committee of Bangalore Traffic Police.
 
Along with these activities, he is also working for what he calls his ‘dream project’.  He plans to manage a road with the distance of 1 km, which will be of international standards, amounting to a budget of 25 lakhs. Having written to various government organizations in pursuit of this, he says that many people have already approached to sponsor his plan. With multiple facilities, the road is expected to be traveler-friendly as it will have pedestrian paths and drinking water outlets. The road will act as a pilot project and if successful it can be implemented across the city. This can eventually help to control traffic hazard and to make Bangalore a better place.
 He resents that there are more who complain than those who act. He urges that to bring about a change, one has to be the change himself/herself. Stressing on the need to act independently, he says “Don’t rely on anyone to bring a change in your city.”