This 57-year-old managing traffic at a busy signal in Ghaziabad is not a traffic policewoman. She cannot take legal action against people nor can she write them challans for traffic violations. But Dorris Francis knows how to handle rush-hour traffic with just a baton in her hand.
She might look strange to commuters. But Dorris has a perfectly valid reason for doing what she does. It is at this very Aitbaar Pushta intersection, on the Delhi-Ghaziabad border, that Dorris lost her 17-year-old daughter in a tragic accident in 2010.
“Niki was ill and we were returning from Delhi after a medical check-up. Just as we turned right towards Khoda, a speeding car hit our rickshaw. We had to be hospitalised after the accident. Niki sustained severe injuries to her lungs. She languished on a hospital bed for a year before dying of her injuries,” Dorris said to The Times of India.
For several years now, Dorris has taken on the role of traffic cop from 7 am to 10 am every day.
Photo source: apnaidea.com
She directs the traffic converging from Khoda, Indirapuram and Delhi at this intersection.
Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In fact, the traffic police in the area respect her for her selfless contribution.
“We appreciate the kind of service Dorris is doing by supplementing the work of police in traffic management. It’s always a positive sign if citizens put forth efforts to help cops in policing matters in a constructive manner,” said Dharmendra Yadav, SSP of Ghaziabad.
It seems like Dorris has been successful in doing what she does. The only other fatal accident that took place in the area was when she was away to church on a Sunday morning, a couple of years ago.
On her part, Dorris plans to continue doing this every day till she can. Her mission is to save lives and not let any mother lose her daughter, son or husband.
Watch this video to see what Dorris does every day:
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