This is an issue that is pent up within the entire driving community in Kalimpong ( I am sure it’s the same elsewhere too but here I address this article only for Kalimpong) but no one has the guts or courage to speak up for fear of repression from the powers that be.
I am sticking my neck out not because I don’t fear the iron fist of the entire administration smashing down upon me but because I know that the topmost positions of the District and Police administration in Kalimpong are decent sincere people and would address this issue once it becomes public.
Ever after the District of Kalimpong was created dozens of new administrative positions have been created. The Sub-divisional administration in Kalimpong was earlier run by just three Magistrates- the Sub Divisional Officer, the Second Officer and the Third Officer. The Police Administration too just had one Addl SP, One Inspector in Charge, One Court Inspector and one Officer in Charge. Now there is a glut of Magistrates in the District Magistrate’s Office itself (almost 30), the Police Administration has dozens of Officers and then every other office in Kalimpong has high ranking officer and everyone of these officers is entitled to an Official Vehicle.
Herein line the problem.
First and foremost, most of these VIP cars flaunt the basic rules of the West Bengal Government- as far as common sense dictates, all vehicles that are hired for official use must have a taxi registration. In Kalimpong there are numerous vehicles that can be seen on the roads sporting “Government of West Bengal” or “Magistrate” or “Police” stickers but having private registration plates. Let’s forget this for a while on the assumption that the payment for the hired vehicles is so low that vehicle owners cannot afford to pay the commercial registration fees, hence use private registrations. But then the same relaxation should also be allowed to other vehicles in Kalimpong who have private registration plates even though they ply as taxis.
This though is not the subject of this article- the article attempts to deal with what seems a classic case of law enforcers becoming law breakers. Anyone who has driven the roads of Kalimpong will have experienced how these official cars have become a law on to themselves. For them overtaking, honking, claim the right to the road and parking wherever they want and however they want and even flashing their blue VIP lights and siren whenever they wish (even if there is no VIP on board) is a privilege they have claimed for themselves. For them, even “one way traffic” or “no entry matters” little. Lowly drivers like me and the rest can take a hike, for all they care.
No one dares to question them for obvious reasons.
My personal experience is that if there is a VIP (so called) inside the vehicle then it is more inclined to follow rules and the driving is definitely more disciplined. The problem generally arises when the vehicles are either off duty or when running errands for their bosses. I won’t go as far as calling it road-rage but surely many drivers of VIP cars could be feeling a sense of false importance when driving a vehicle with a VIP sticker. It probably gives then the thrills just to find themselves in a position of power that driving a VIP around gives them.
I overheard a fellow driver commenting “ Yo VIP haru ko driver haru lay tha afu lai VIP bhanda thulo sochcha” ( These VIP drivers think of themselves as even bigger than the VIP themselves).
The VIP (bade miya) of course has the power and the privileges but his/her chauffeur (chote miya) is indeed king of the road.
“Bade Miyan Toh Bade- Miya Chote Miya Subhan Allah”
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