During a Garden City winter, only the odd occasion might get you out of bed early, especially if you’re a journalist whose sleep cycle is more a suggestion than a routine. Still, I woke up on Tuesday morning after barely three hours of sleep. The promise of a field visit kept me up all night, mentally rehearsing the chaos I might step into.
I dreamed of reflective vests, shrill whistles and the thrill of flagging down motorists breaking the rules. When the Bengaluru Traffic Police invited citizens to experience what it’s like to drive rush hour through the ‘Be a Traffic Cop for a Day’ initiative, I volunteered for duty at one of the city’s most infamous bottlenecks: Iblur Junction.
At 8 am, under a cool cloud-covered sky, my colleague N. Ravichandran and I trudged along the Outer Ring Road. Bikers squeezed through the narrowest of gaps, BMTC buses matched the pace of cars and cars outnumbered all other vehicles. There was a constant fear that you would inadvertently get into a traffic accident. I usually keep a safe distance from autorickshaws, but there were no gaps to maintain on the ORR. When we reached Iblur around 8:30, the day seemed long.
A reporter interacts with H. Srinivas, ACP (Traffic) for HSR Sub-Division, and Nagappa C, Bellandur Traffic Inspector, during the ‘Be a Traffic Policeman for a Day’ initiative in Bengaluru on November 18, 2025. | Photo credit: N. Ravichandran
Briefing
Bellandur Inspector Nagappa C. and Assistant Sub-Inspector A. Krishnappa handed me a reflective vest and briefed me for 20 minutes. At 9 o’clock in the morning I was ready to live the dream I imagined for four days, only to realize that they were not texting me. How was I supposed to project authority without her? I decided to rely on my voice instead.
Six routes converge at this junction and are fed by traffic from Sarjapur, Silk Board and Yemlur. I put on my jacket and started driving the vehicles moving from Silk Board side towards Sarjapur. The initial excitement lasted barely two minutes.
The biker in the black jacket looked me over and smiled strangely as he waited for the green signal. I focused on the lights again and checked if it was time to stop the flow of Sarjapur. Just then someone behind me said, “Sir, naavu?” (“Sir, we?”). There was a long line of pedestrians waiting for me to clear the way for them, some already trying to get through the heavy traffic. I tried to politely ask them to back off. They don’t.
Assistant Sub-Inspector A. Krishnappa with another volunteer for the ‘Be a traffic cop for a day’ initiative by the Bengaluru Traffic Police on November 18, 2025. | Photo credit: N. Ravichandran
One woman in her 50s was completely dependent on me to stop vehicles. As soon as the light turned red, I swerved into the middle of the road, stopped the traffic and let them cross. Before I could catch my breath, the honking sounded again, from a different direction. It was no longer a warning; it was frustration.
It took six full signal cycles to master the juggling act of keeping vehicles in their lanes, watching for signal changes, watching for pedestrians, giving hand signals, and receiving traffic information from stationed officers. I used to believe that chasing officials for information was multitasking. This belief was immediately shattered.
Chaos
It turned out to be impossible to handle everything smoothly. Constant honking pierced my ears, exhaust settled on my head, constant coughing and heavy legs. I circled the intersection like officers, looking for brief relief in quieter pockets.
An ambulance suddenly appeared in my lane. I froze. ASI Krishnappa rushed forward, stopped the traffic and cleared the way. Still shaken, I followed him. No sooner had it passed than the honking resumed.
“It took six full signal cycles to get the hang of the juggling act: keeping vehicles in their lanes, watching for signal changes, watching for pedestrians, giving hand signals and receiving congestion information from stationed officers.” | Photo credit: N. Ravichandran
A few minutes later, a car hit another car and both stopped in the middle of the road. Mr. Krishnappa and I ran to sort it out. I tried to get the vehicles to move, but the motorists slowed down and stared. My high pitched voice broke and then faded as the biker yelled an expletive at me that I was blocking traffic. He wasn’t entirely wrong. I asked one driver to move but he just stared; he did not understand Kannada.
There was hunger. I asked Mr. Krishnappa when he usually eats. He said breakfast doesn’t come until after peak, around 11:30am. He read my mind and suggested a coffee break. Every sip was heavenly. My back and tongue hurt and my nose was covered in dust. The second half of the service wasn’t any easier, but at least I got the rhythm now.
When the service finally ended at 11:15, my phone showed 7,000 steps, just from walking around. I went back to the police chowki, washed my face and sat down, wanting to stay there for an hour and do nothing.
Bengaluru traffic, close up
Like the city itself, Bengaluru’s traffic is a vibrant mix of languages, manners, ages and vehicle types. It takes immense patience and mental energy to read and respond to all of this. Suddenly, the social media posts of frustrated traffic cops made complete sense
“Like the city itself, Bengaluru traffic is a vibrant mix of languages, behaviours, ages and vehicle types. Reading and reacting to it all requires immense patience and mental energy.” | Photo credit: N. Ravichandran
Two-wheelers disrupt traffic more than heavy vehicles. Scooters and bikers need far more direction. Common sense on the road is often below average and the brunt of this falls on those driving the traffic.
By the end of the session, I realized that the junior officers were the real foot soldiers and that the traffic police had one of the most rewarding jobs.
Before leaving, I asked Mr. Krishnappa how he copes with the daily stress. He smiled warmly and said that he was satisfied with his work.
Suresh Kumar will also turn the traffic police for a day
In an effort to create awareness about traffic rules and set an example to others, Rajajinagar MLA S. Suresh Kumar also donned the role of a traffic policeman at Bhashyam Circle on Tuesday.
Mr. Kumar said he took up the responsibility after being impressed by the Bengaluru Traffic Police’s initiative. He said he wanted to understand the day-to-day challenges faced by traffic police and see how traffic signals and enforcement work on the ground.
BJP MLA and former minister S. Suresh Kumar advises motorists to follow traffic rules at Bashyam Circle in Bengaluru on November 18, 2025. | Photo credit: K. MURALI KUMAR
He was seen moving around, stopping recklessly moving vehicles and guiding pedestrians. Mr. Kumar appealed to the public to strictly follow the traffic rules and noted that violations were still high as many motorists did not follow them.
He stressed the importance of wearing ISI-marked helmets, avoiding speeding and stopping at pedestrian crossings. According to him, following these rules can significantly reduce the number of accidents.
“People wear helmets for the police, not for their safety,” he said. Reflecting on the experience, he added, “This is one of my most memorable experiences.”
