Wiser after a series of fatal mishaps, police have been seeking help from various municipalities for better traffic management.

The civic bodies have been requested to join hands with the cops to spread awareness about traffic norms and take steps to ensure road safety.

The municipalities have responded to the plea and are in talks with the police over the measures to be taken.

Somen Mitra, the deputy inspector-general (Presidency range), said he had written to the chairpersons of the Rajarhat-Gopalpur, South Dum Dum, Panihati and Baranagar municipalities. “I have requested them to play an active role in traffic management.”

Elaborating on what had prompted the police to take the move, a senior officer said: “The traffic wings in the city’s adjacent areas function with inadequate manpower. Calcutta, covered by 48 police stations, has around 3,000 traffic constables. But for the 95 police station areas in the Presidency range, there are only 650 constables. So, we have no option but to involve the local civic bodies to ensure better traffic regulation.”

In some places — including Nagerbazar, Madhyamgram and Baranagar — the civic bodies have appointed local youths to monitor vehicular movement. “We have decided to train these youths and provide them with uniforms,” said Mitra.

“At times, people object to the youths monitoring traffic, thinking they are taking the law into their hands. This often results in altercations between motorists and the youths. The uniforms will preempt such flare-ups,” Mitra added.

The police have asked the municipalities to mark out zebra crossings on the roads and put up traffic signs. “It’s believed that these are the jobs of the police. But since municipalities are the lowest-level government bodies, they, too, should get involved in the process,” Mitra pointed out.

Tapas Chatterjee, the chairman of Rajarhat-Gopalpur municipality, said: “Earlier, 100 youths were engaged to monitor vehicular movement on VIP Road — at Baguiati, Kaikhali and Teghoria. But they had to be withdrawn in the face of severe criticism from a section of people. Mitra’s letter has encouraged us to resume the practice.”

South Dum Dum Municipality has okayed a proposal, placed by a non-government organisation, to hire local youths to monitor traffic at the Nagerbazar crossing.