Rein in Salt Lake?s reckless drivers

In recent years, the number of accidents in Salt Lake has gone up. Most of the time they are caused because of the negligence of drivers. Since the roads are comparatively empty, most people drive rashly. It has almost become a habit for them to pick up speed as soon as they enter the township. Overtaking of private buses on the same route has added to the problem. Though the number of accidents has gone up, it is only at a few spots like Karunamoyee, PNB island and Baishakhi that additional traffic policemen have been posted. More cops should be posted to book the errant drivers.

Sourish Misra, Salt Lake.

Stuck between flyover & pandal

A Puja pandal is coming up on Diamond Harbour Road, near the Taratala crossing towards Behala. The stretch had already been narrowed, thanks to the corrugated sheets that have been erected surrounding the flyover construction site. Now, with this pandal blocking more space on one flank it would be impossible for pandal-hoppers and vehicles to move side by side. The club, organising the Puja, has sufficient clout to force the authorities to look the other way.

Govind Das Dujari, Diamond Harbour Road.

Rally rides roughshod over rules

Very often political parties call meetings in Calcutta and bring thousands of loyalists all the way from far-flung districts by train without tickets. Is it desirable that political parties cause such a huge revenue loss to the railways? Why should they resort to wrong-doing to exercise their democratic rights?

Govinda Bakshi, Budge Budge.

Tips for the bank customer

As a retired banker, I read two letters published in this column recently with interest. I must, at the very outset, admit that some bank officials are ignorant of many banking rules and regulations. Apropos ?Know your line well?(October 4), only the auditors are allowed to use green ink while checking accounts books in banks. Red ink is used by the bank officers to check the books. This may be why customers are asked not to sign in green/red ink. It also not possible for the bank to show its rule books to the customers everytime to establish the authenticity of the rules. Apropos ?Ignorance is not bliss? (October 9), let?s assume a term deposit is jointly in the names of A, B and C. And C approaches the bank to get the deposit transferred in his name on the death of A and B. The instruction ?payable to all jointly? or ?to any one or survivor/s? is valid only at the time of maturity of the deposit. If the instruction is ?payable to all jointly?, it is always presumed that each account holder has one-third share of the deposit. If the amount is ?payable to any or survivor/s?, then the bank may, at its sole discretion, strike down the names of A and B. The procedure varies slightly from bank to bank. The Banks Ombudsman at the RBI may be approached with complaints.

Pijush Banerjee, Sarsuna.