• I Paid A Bribe
• 14 years ago
• 462 views

The Saidapet Traffic Light, Chennai, TN

• Transport
• New Domestic Driving License
• Paid INR 200

Mount Road in Chennai is well known for its business as well as corruption by the Traffic inspectors and other officials. Especially, the traffic light opposite to the Saidapet Moffusil Bus stand, Chennai, TN is well know for its corrupt traffic inspectors. The traffic officials working near the signal are extremely active. They catch each and every person disobeying the law (Using cell phone while driving, not halting at the light, speeding etc.).But the number of pages filled in the fine book/ bill book which the traffic officials should file each and every time they encounter a person disobeying the traffic law is hardly one or even zero. Reason? Bribe. Though I was one of the many (few is what I would wish to say. But when given a chance to escape with a bribe, there is no "few".) who escaped the law with a bribe. It would have been great, if I including others were fined for our act of disobeying the law. Because that would have made us fear the traffic officials and made us follow the rules next time. Especially near the Saidapet signal, the traffic officials have an office or some kind of a building where they park their bikes and have tea. They take the person who is caught through the gates and bargain for the bribe (Nice trick huh? It's not easy to catch them with cameras). Well, foreigners think bargaining about the bribe is legal in India, you know? Well, not to blame them, it is a shame on us after all.

Where there is will, there is a way, whereas in India, where there is a government official, there is a bribe involved.

I live in Denver, Colorado, USA currently. I paid a bribe of Rs.200 for using cell phone while riding (My fault though. If I didn't have a chance of paying Rs.200, I would have paid the fine). This happened in February 2011. Hope cops and government officials in India will be like the ones here in the USA (with minimal crime and corruption). I can very well say that this is one of the dreams of any NRI and every citizen of *******