Traffic congestion is nothing new to commuters in Uttar Pradesh's capital, who are used to honking horns, snarling from cars, and quiet annoyance. But on Thursday, after a nearly six-hour traffic standstill on Shaheed Path, one of the city's busiest highways, five police officers were suspended by the Lucknow police. The congestion resulted from an early-morning accident involving an overloaded dumper. A head constable, three sub-inspectors, and a constable from the Sushant Golf City police station are among those suspended. The suspensions were started by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South Nipun Agarwal, who stated, "This is a strong message that no one will be spared for negligence on duty."
Commuters have a right to smooth traffic. Around 5:30 am, the accident took place, and the traffic jam's consequences lasted until about noon, trapping commuters, including office workers, on Shaheed Path, service lanes, and other highway-leading roads.
A Lucknow Police press statement said, “At approximately 5:39 a.m., the driver of an overloaded, speeding dumper with the license plate UP92AT0210 lost control and struck another dumper in front of it.”
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The dumper was left stranded in the middle of Shaheed Path, one of the busiest thoroughfares in the city, in addition to causing damage to the road surface. Consequently, during the busiest time of the day for commuters, traffic on the Shaheed Path stopped. Around ten in the morning, the vehicle was taken out, said ACP Traffic Indra Pal Singh.
The police statement further mentioned that commuters experienced severe annoyance as a result of the protracted traffic bottleneck, which also generated concerns about the reaction of the police officers on duty. Notably, the duty police failed to notify their superiors of the accident right away, which exacerbated traffic conditions and postponed the required reaction.
Senior police officials confirmed the suspensions, saying that prompt communication and a proactive approach are essential in these situations, particularly on routes like Shaheed Path, which are frequently used for quick commutes and are crowded all day.
"Disciplinary action was swiftly taken against the policemen on duty after the negligence and failure to report were taken seriously," the DCP South stated. They were placed on immediate suspension for failing to perform their duties.
Sub-inspector Vipin Kumar, the outpost incharge at Avadh Vihar, S-I Ram Singh Srinet (night officer), S-I Ankur (polygon officer), constable Jai Singh (polygon duty), and head constable Rajesh Chaudhary are among the police officers who have been suspended, according to the police.
Investigations concerning the police response and the carelessness of the dumper operator are still ongoing.