Chennai: In a 19-feet wide road, with heavy vehicles speeding by, buses honking brutally, bikers trying to overtake other transports thoughtlessly, we bet you, no one can regulate the chaotic traffic more cooler than Solomon, a traffic constable who is in charge of Manapakkam junction.
He began his career as a traffic policeman 20 years ago and is taking care of the Manapakkam junction for the last six years. Who said cops are always rigid and strict? Solomon is very popular and has won several hearts in the neighbourhood.
Speaking to ‘News Today‘, he says, “This is one of the busiest junctions of Porur, with several engineering college buses and IT professionals taking this stretch. Morning time is filled with anxious work goers and angry bus drivers, and the commuters use their horns mercilessly. I stand at the centre of all these chaos and have the responsibility to rescue the junction from traffic congestion and help make the vehicles move quickly but smoothly. At the same time, I also have to take care of school students trying to cross the road.” Speaking of school kids, “They are my biggest fans,” he laughs.
WHAT’S HIS SPECIALITY?
Solomon stands out from other policemen with his unique and playful working style. Right from twirling around in typical MGR style in order to stop the vehicles approaching from the opposite side, to following certain dance styles instead of showing hand signs, to smiling at the commuters, he does it all.
BIG FANS
Solomon becomes good friends with those who take this junction regularly. “I have never been harsh to the commuters. All the school-goers in this area are my little best friends. Elders buying chocolates for kids is the routine, but in my case, the children buy me chocolates, and give it to me with so much love. Once, a group of children, who called themselves my fans, presented me a gift which they had bought with their pocket money. I was moved to tears. No medal can surpass this joy. That incident encouraged me to be more careful and put their safety first,” Solomon says with a tinge of emotion.
SO COOL
Kids get attracted to him after taking a single glance at his face. With a stylish cooler and a perfectly trimmed french-beard, Solomon can befriend anyone with ease.
UNIQUE PUNISHMENT
“Mostly, I won’t demand fine from wrong-doers. If I found someone driving rashly, especially without helmets, I will stop them and make them stand for at least five minutes. I know very well that they would be in a hurry, but nothing is going to change in those five minutes. I also advice them not to drive like that and stress on the importance of wearing helmets. I remain calm throughout the interaction,” explains Solomon.
WHAT UPSETS HIM
He says, “I do all this not only to entertain people, but also to relieve them of stress. I understand their anxiety and try my best to make the situation light. But sometimes, it upsets when people do not reciprocate. Even after all this effort, some people tend to break the rules. That is not correct.”