In a creative initiative, motorists in Navi Mumbai were rewarded with chocolates for following traffic norms on Tuesday, as traffic officers dressed as Santa Claus. This effort was part of the Navi Mumbai Police's safety campaign aimed at raising awareness about the importance of adhering to motor vehicle rules ahead of Christmas and New Year.
Satish Jadhav, Senior Police Inspector of the Turbhe Traffic unit, explained that the goal of the initiative was to encourage people to follow traffic rules. With the festive season in mind, the warm and jolly figure of Santa Claus was chosen as the ideal way to connect with motorists and inspire them to follow traffic safety guidelines.
"Many lives are lost due to basic safety measures being ignored, such as not wearing helmets or seat belts, or driving recklessly," Jadhav said. "We used Santa Claus as a symbol to promote road safety, particularly on the busy Navi Mumbai roads." He further mentioned that the campaign was conducted under the guidance of Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe and DCP (Traffic) Tirupati Kakade.
“We believe that if Santa Claus delivers this message, it will resonate deeply with people, especially during the festive season,” Jadhav concluded.