Students turn traffic cops, earn praise

CUTTACK: The commissionerate police's scheme of engaging college students in managing traffic in the city is receiving positive response.At least 100 students, after proper training, have been deployed in different parts of Cuttack to help traffic personnel. The programme was launched on January 23 and within a fortnight the initiative has received good response from citizens.Even the police have claimed that the programme has been fruitful in streamlining traffic to a large extent.Each student is paid Rs 100 per day for helping in regulating traffic for three hours. Students over 18 years have been entrusted the job of managing traffic."It is a very good opportunity for students like me to earn while studying. Instead of spending time hanging out with friends, I am happy that I am doing some productive work and helping cops," said Smita Mohanty, a student engaged in regulating traffic at College Square.At present, there are only 182 traffic personnel, including 14 havildars and 30 Odisha Auxiliary Police Force personnel, deployed in Cuttack to manage the congested lanes and bylanes.