Hyderabad: Motorists in the city are a frustrated lot over the poor implementation of free left turns at junctions by the traffic police, which, they hoped, would make commutes smoother and decrease travel time.
The free left initiative was taken up by the police as part of Operation Rope (Removal of Obstructive Parking and Encroachments) as a citizen-friendly plan, but the inconveniences experienced by commuters are posing a quandary to the police plan.
Rajesh Verma, a techie from Charminar, said, “I thought Operation Rope would be a game-changer, but it's been a huge disappointment. The free lefts are always packed, and I end up waiting for ages. Although there are police staff deployed, there is something that is going wrong.”
Mansoor Ali Khan, a working professional residing in Somajiguda, said: “I rely on public transportation for my daily commute, and this initiative was supposed to make things better. Instead, I find myself waiting for longer than before and often, needing to use alternatives due to the unreliability.”
Rahul Sharma, a student, said, “I like the idea of free lefts, but they cause problems during busy times in the mornings and evenings. There are too many vehicles on the road. People don't use common sense and crowd to the left side of the roads. I've been late to class many times because of this.”
Sudheer Babu, ACP (traffic), however, dismissed criticisms and said that Operation Rope has been effective.
“Following the introduction of Operation Rope, we have witnessed a substantial transformation, particularly in high-traffic areas. As you may have noticed, the city's vehicle count has been consistently rising, In response, we have been formulating and adapting traffic regulations to align with the evolving vehicular patterns,” he said.
“Despite the current setback, we are hoping for convenient transportation system in the city. And pleading commuters to keep way for free lefts,” Babu said.
