How to be an LG Kiran Bedi style: Crack the whip on cops and govt staff in Puducherry

R Pajanivel (name changed on request) from Lawspet, Puducherry, scrambles to finish work at 2.30 pm on a hot Tuesday afternoon. For the past three days, he has been trying to reach the Raj Nivas, the Lieutenant Governor’s bungalow, in time to receive one of the 40 tokens on offer, but he hasn’t been lucky so far. Today, he is determined to make it in time. He arrives at the gates by 3 pm and is relieved to see that he is one of the first few in queue. “I want to be able to meet Kiran Bedi because she has been solving people’s problems,” he explained. For the past five years, he has been fighting a land grabbing case against one of the town’s prominent politicians, but to no avail. Like many others, he has heard that the new Lieutenant Governor is helping solve their problems, so he hopes to present his case.

By 3.30 pm there is a long line of men, women and even some children outside the gates of the Raj Nivas in Puducherry. In just over three weeks since former top cop Kiran Bedi assumed charge, she has managed to hear out hundreds of people and their problems. Whether it is about not being able to get school admission for their children, reservation for the physically challenged, or even land disputes, she is willing to listen, and offer constructive advice.

For the people of Puducherry, the arrival of Bedi, and the reforms she has brought in has made a huge difference in a short period of time. “We can see the effect that she (Bedi) has brought in, and we are sure that a number of problems will be solved,” R Shaktivel, a social activist, said. He had visited the LG a couple of times with a number of demands, including the implementation of the three percent reservation for people with disabilities.

Every day, Bedi sees 40 people on a first come, first served basis. “If our problems are genuine, she immediately orders action. She is unlike any other Lieutenant Governor we have ever had,” Pajanivel says. Since he met with Bedi, a case has been registered, and he hopes that action will be taken soon.

Bedi’s influence on the Union Territory, however, has gone beyond just listening to people’s problems and offering potential solutions. Since she assumed office on 29 May, she has ensured that all government department officials are on their toes. The traffic police in the Puducherry town area now has 50 new constables from the Indian Reserve Battalion, and almost all police stations have received additional personnel. “Now, we are able to control the traffic along the main roads in a more efficient manner,” Maran, Inspector Traffic (West), who controls the Boulevard, said. Bedi has also announced that they were formulating a new traffic plan, and has even banned the use of sirens in VIP cars.

The traffic team has also cleared congestion on the main shopping street, Jawaharlal Nehru Street. They are also issuing fines to people who have parked in No Parking zones, something they did not have the manpower to accomplish efficiently. “We stick fluorescent stickers on cars parked in a No Parking zone, and ask them to pay their fines at the traffic station,” a constable said. The team has even started towing cars. Although there has been some resistance to the idea, overall, the people are happy to see congestion-free roads.

“Jawaharlal Nehru Street used to be a complete nightmare to drive on. There were a number of establishments that would place signs on the road, hindering parking, especially on Sundays. Now, all that is cleared, and while we sometimes have to park a bit further away, at least the road is not clogged with traffic,” Janardhan, a resident, said. A couple of days ago, Janardhanan too had to pay a fine for parking illegally. “Even though it was an inconvenience, I was happy to do it,” he says.

Even the streets are cleaner, with much less garbage, the canals across the Union Territory and being cleaned, and many people say it is like the town has received a new lease of life. “I can see a difference in less than a month. I don’t think I have ever seen the traffic so orderly,” Naveen, a frequent visitor to Puducherry, says.

Along with traffic control, Bedi has also implemented a beat system for the police. “Now, each constable takes responsibility for one or two streets. In his or her area, anything that happens, whether a robbery, or a fight, it is the responsibility of the constable in charge,” a senior police officer said. The people are aware of the person in charge of their area, and they can have any problem sorted out through the police. “The idea is to make the police more approachable,” the officer explains. Since she has taken over, the Union Territory has also introduced of a number of toll-free lines. For power cuts and power disasters, people can call 1912, 1070 is for the revenue and disaster management department, 1031 is the confidential helpline for crime-related complaints. “While a few of these were already in service, like the 1091 women’s helpline, there was very little awareness, and very few of them were manned 24 hours. Now that has been set right, and we are publicising the helplines and the beat officers in every area,” a senior official said.

Bedi has also ensured that taxes, which were previously not collected, or delayed, are being collected in an efficient manner. “It is the law, and it is important that we have income through taxes, so that we can give back to the people. Earlier, there were some delays in collection, which I am looking to set right,” she said, speaking to Firstpost.

Her main focus is on Sanitation, Safety and Security. “By improving these three factors, I can ensure that the people have a better quality of life,” she said, adding that with the new policing system in place, anyone with a past criminal record would think twice about repeating a crime.

While the people are happy with the new developments, government officials and staff are not as comfortable with the move. Now government staff have been asked to report to work as early as 8 am. “Department Directors and secretaries are expected to be available at all times, and many of them have been asked to come in at 6 am even over the weekends. The same is true for the police,” a senior bureaucrat said. This means that many of them have had to compromise on their personal time, and they have been spending most of their time in office. “While it may seem like everything is efficient for now, the officers are unhappy,” he said.

Although there are some murmurs of discontent about her style of leadership, people like Pajanivel will always remember that the new Lieutenant Governor took time out from her busy schedule to listen to his concerns.