Z-category security, zebra crossings and band-aids*

What is the link between Z-category security, Zebra crossings and band-aids*?

Before I tell you the answer, here is a story. A few days back while driving on the Indore bypass, I noticed a strange thing. At the approach to an adjoining village, I noticed not one but two speed-breakers. I also noticed a zebra crossing – and there may well have been a traffic light too. While Indians excel at having multiple speed-breakers at all sorts of unexpected places, the 2 speed-breakers on a not-so-busy stretch of the bypass were puzzling. I could not stop thinking about it through the rest of the day. Late evening, the pieces finally fell in place.

This is what must have happened (is my guess): When the bypass was constructed, the villagers suddenly found themselves being placed right in harm’s way, thanks to the speeding traffic. An obvious answer was a zebra crossing (since there would not be too many villagers criss-crossing the whole day). Of course in India, zebra crossings are a joke. Forget humans, even a zebra would think twice before venturing to cross one. Realising that this was not really helping and no car or truck would stop for the villagers who wished to cross to the other side, the government must have installed a traffic signal.

Now, in most parts of India, a traffic signal on a heavy traffic road without a policeman (or two) in attendance is simply a light that alternates between red and green. It has very little meaning beyond that. Contempt for niceties such as traffic signals and traffic laws is endemic across India – best illustrated in this recent experience of Delhi Police: “Cameras set up to monitor traffic movement at select parts of the city revealed 4500 violations within a distance of 400 metres, in a span of mere 8 hours” – that is more than 560 violations every hour within half-a-kilometre!

What explains this contempt? The fact that there are no consequences and the fact that “rule of law” is a phrase without teeth. No wonder the zebra crossing and the traffic light proved ineffective in slowing the traffic. The government must have then decided to add a speed-breaker. That should have worked. Or so you would think.

Within weeks of the speed breaker being put in place, the flow of traffic had created a nice detour along the side of the speed-breaker – and the trucks and cars were almost back to their usual speed.  In desperation, the bright guys in urban planning added a second speed breaker – within a close distance of the first one. And that is how this small village at the edge of the bypass in Indore not only got a zebra crossing, but also a traffic light and two speed-breakers – all because of a “band-aid approach” to the fundamental problem of unenforceability of the rule of law.

Back in my school days, we learnt that the rule of law must always be respected. And violating it can have severe consequences. 30 years later, I am wiser. The “rule of law” in India exists only in text-books. Partly because the “enforcers” are busy with something else – usually “protecting” a VVIP. How many of you knew that while there is just 1 cop for 355 citizens in Punjab, there are 3 cops for each VIP in the state?!

Instead of ensuring that those who violate traffic signs and zebra crossings pay a stiff penalty, out hard-working, lowly-paid cops are busy protecting VVIPs – including billionaires who can easily afford a small army.

Why?

Because the “law” does not allow a billionaire to have guards with weapons more sophisticated than .12 bore rifles! So how does our hard-working billionaire protect herself/himself against baddies out to get her/him? S/he requests the government to allow her/him to hire security guards with AK-47s, right?.

“No way”, says our Sarkari Babu. “The law does not allow you to keep an AK-47. Only ISI agents, certain Bollywood stars and misguided youth are allowed such weapons…”. The nervous billionaire, now seriously worried, pleads with the Babu, “Sir, Kuch to karo..”

“Accha..aapke liye thoda adjust kar lete hain. We cannot change the law but we will do one better. We shall offer you Z-category security!”

The “band-aid approach” at work again!  At the heart of the saga around Z-category security, the zebra crossing, the utter contempt for rules and the unenforceability of laws lies one thing – a broken system. A broken system in which there is no fear of consequences, a broken system in which there is no “rule of law”; a broken system in which the government finds it easier to offer Z-category security than to ensure policemen on the street; a broken system which finds it easier to circumvent a law than to amend it. A broken system in which it is easier to cover the wound than go for chemo-therapy.

This broken system is the common link between double speed-breakers in Indore and the Z-category security for VVIPs. Next time someone comes to you to seek your vote or “support”, please ask them what have they done to ensure you and your family can remain safe – and how many policemen are protecting their own family – at your expense.  Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!

* The use of the term “band-aid” and “band-aid approach” in this post is not intended to damage or cast aspersions on the “Band-Aid brand” or reputation of the “Band-Aid brand” products. It has been used in a generic sense to describe a temporary fix.

Somewhat Related: Rs 386 crores, 5 people and some “special” security  

Cross-posted at ToI Blogs