India and China suffer from chronic traffic jams as an exponential rise in vehicles puts immense pressure on the existing road network.While China’s 100 km traffic jam made headlines in the world media some time ago,what is not usually printed is the constant traffic jams in the cities of both countries.India’s Transport Policy or Lack of One is already heading the country towards an environmental disaster.It is also causing immediate problems for the man on the streets as another person died in New Delhi’s scary traffic congestion,this time caused by the Indian PM’s security convoy.
India’s top leaders don’t have to suffer from the daily travails of monstrous transport problems as their security convoys have the roads cleared for them.Even a minor functionary has red lights blazing on the top of their security cars and flouting all traffic rules as policemen salute and clear the way.There is no concern about the plight of normal people who on top of the daily traffic jams have to face an additional ordeal due to the stoppage of vehicles for the passage of the VIP entourage.Even ambulances and emergencies are not spared as a person died of a heart attack after getting stuck for 30 mins.Note people dying in traffic jams has become a normal thing in India these days as serpentine traffic jams make it almost impossible for ambulances to transport time critical patients on time.Indian cities have become traffic hells as motorists fail to follow any traffic rule or regulation.Policemen trying to correct errant drivers are frequently beaten up by taxi/auto unions .Red lights are not followed by a lot of the vehicles and traffic rules exist only on paper.Huge numbers of casualties are reported every year which are easily preventable.But for a totally corrupt bureaucracy and police,these problems are not a concern at all.
In a yet another incident of politician’s security causing death of a common man, a man died of heart attack after being stuck in traffic for about 30 minutes in New Delhi. The victim, Anil Jain who suffered a heart attack allegedly died after being stuck in traffic as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s convoy delayed his reaching hospital at Rajghat.The victim’s family blamed the PM’s security for his death. Anil was forced to wait in the traffic for nearly half an hour at RajGhat from where PM’s convoy was passing through.