City's One woman 'Army'

And, they say teachers don’t work! In addition to taking her classes at school, Prem Lata also regulates the traffic at Dhaka Chowk. There are three government schools---- primary, middle and senior secondary, in the vicinity of Dhaka Chowk, barely half a kilometer from Kingsway Camp. When school hours are over at around 1 o’ clock, students from these schools would stream out of the gates where, there are no traffic police around to regulate traffic at this crucial hour.
Finally, somebody came forward to clean up the mess. Prem Lata, a teacher from the Government Girls Middle School, volunteers her help by regulating traffic at the busy road. She is the honorary traffic warden of
Dhaka chowk."I am doing it just for the safety of these school children. I feel really honored in doing this responsible job,’’ says she. Says Surinder Sharma, whose two daughters study in the school, "Previously, we used to remain edgy due to the traffic chaos on the main road, which was a cause for major concern. We felt relieved only when they reached home safe. But now this traffic warden has improved the condition."Regardless of the risks involved in manning the traffic at the chaotic chowk, this feisty traffic warden soldiers on. The only thing always at the back of her mind is the safety of school children and ensuring their safe return home".

Thanks to her efforts, the traffic has been streamlined to a large extent. Students now no longer feel jittery while crossing the road. Interestingly, even motorists and motorcyclists have fallen in line. Gone are the days of rash driving at the Dhaka stretch. Says Sohan Kapoor, who regularly passes by this stretch, "Things have improved tremendously over the last few years on this busy stretch and that too without the help of traffic police. It is really incredible. Even five years ago, Dhaka Chowk used to be considered one of the most dreadful traffic intersections of North Delhi."

It goes to Prem Lata’s credit that she manages to perform this role despite her teaching job and household duties and responsibilities. "I will continue to perform this job come what may. One has to strive always to improve things,’’ says the soft-spoken teacher cum traffic warden.