Late last month, the commissionerate police reintroduced the Student Traffic Volunteer programme in a major change. STV had been suspended since 2020 because of the COVID pandemic restrictions.
Commissioner of police S Dev Datta Singh noted in a statement that the programme is going to enhance traffic management in a couple of the busiest cities in Odisha, located in the Eastern part of India, and simultaneously encourage community participation in maintaining discipline.
Odisha reintroduces Student Traffic Volunteer (STV) scheme
Under the reintroduced Student Traffic Volunteer (STV) programme, 53 college students have been listed to support traffic management operations, including 23 female volunteers. Of these 53 people, 35 are going to be positioned at traffic junctions in the capital.
Each volunteer can be part of the programme for a minimum of three hours on a daily basis, getting Rs 200 as compensation. Each volunteer has the flexibility to choose their duty times and locations, reported Times of India.
These 53 volunteers selected as part of the STV programme and the existing traffic police are going to collaborate to ensure better adherence to traffic rules. Their responsibilities also include helping pedestrians cross roads safely and informing authorities of violations.
Offering students opportunities for self-reliance and learning
The Student Traffic Volunteer (STV) programme of Odisha addresses the shortage of staff seen in recent days. Despite a significant increase in vehicle population, the number of traffic police personnel remains concerningly inadequate.
Before the suspension of the scheme, 600 college students had been supporting traffic management operations in a couple of the busiest cities of Odisha. The revival of the programme is also meant to offer students opportunities for self-reliance and learning.
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