Safety prowlers

The graph line shows a marked drop – 13% to be precise and that is something which needs to be taken into account. The numbers being spoken of are accidents which injure, maim or kill people and the drop is being seen on the Bentota-Kataragama Road, considered one of the main arteries of the country. To what is the drop in accidents attributed? The resuscitated Highway Patrols, stresses Southern Province’s Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jayantha Gamage.

“Earlier we had a highway patrol unit but it was not effective. Every station has traffic policemen but we have now implemented a special system in the Southern Province which has borne fruit,” said DIG Gamage when The Sunday Times met him in his office in the Galle fort.

The Highway Patrol operates at 20 points along the southern highway covering the police areas of Elpitiya, Galle, Matara and Tangalle. The 20 points are “manned” by 80 motorcycle patrols armed with pistols, mobile phones and radio sets, working two shifts while four radio cars with all policewomen except for the drivers prowl up and down conducting speed checks and maintaining road discipline.

Each radio car has a Woman Sub-Inspector and three Policewomen, explains ASP Crimes and Traffic, M.N.K. Damayantha Wijaya Sri, adding that 40 motorcycle units work the 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift and the other 40 from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. They maintain road discipline by keeping tabs on speeding and ensuring that traffic laws are adhered to along this 220-km main route used not only by important politicians and business people but also by tourists both foreign and local. Every 5-6 km there is a bike, says ASP Wijaya Sri.

Deploying policewomen in squad cars has paid dividends because they stick to the rules and traffic offenders have to face the consequences. Over the weekend, ‘Traffic Eye’ is in operation which is a special plan with extra vigilance, as speeding and accidents take place often.

Explaining the need for the Highway Patrol, ASP Wijaya Sri says earlier in any emergency in the south people were advised to call 119. What happened was that the details of the call for assistance were then relayed to Police Headquarters in Colombo which in turn passed on the message to the area police who would then contact the motorcycle or radio which was assigned to this specific task to deal with the emergency.

What would happens if the allotted motorcycle or radio car was already out on an “emergency” errand? Then there would be a delay, he answers, as police stations have limited resources. Another feature under the Highway Patrol system is the display of emergency numbers (091-4933333) on large boards along the road. These numbers would be answered in Galle. Any person who is involved in an accident or faces any other emergency could call those numbers directly and the message would be relayed immediately to the closest Highway Patrol motorcycle or radio car. Negotiations are underway to get a Highway Patrol ambulance as well, it is understood.

“Kshanikawa kriya karanava,” says ASP Wijaya Sri, stressing that the response will be immediate. Adds WSI K.A. Sarojani: “We are strict with indisciplined motorists. But we don’t hide behind pillars or trees. We catch them openly. Therefore, they respect us.” Deadlier, nay tougher than the male.