From mourning to mission - A traffic hero’s journey | Fusion - WeRIndia

Moved by personal tragedy and the loss of a close friend to reckless driving, Murali Krishna made a life-changing decision to become a volunteer traffic warrior.

For the past 10 years, he has been a familiar presence at Hyderabad’s busiest intersections, guiding traffic and promoting road safety awareness with tireless dedication.

A resident of Bolarum, Murali left behind his corporate routine to train with the Society for Cyberabad Security Council.

He recalled that his friend’s untimely death became a turning point in his life, as it made him realise the serious consequences of ignoring traffic rules and convinced him that he could no longer remain silent.

Murali now actively volunteers across Cyberabad, Hyderabad, and Rachakonda commissionerates.

He manages traffic at high-traffic junctions like Secunderabad, ECIL, Sainikpuri, Paradise, and others.

But his work doesn’t stop at road intersections; he also spreads awareness through social media, posting live updates, safety tips, and real-world examples of violations and good practices.

He often sees wrong-side driving, triple riding, and helmetless commuters, and believes ignorance is a key contributor to road chaos.

To address this, he conducts awareness programs in schools and colleges, emphasising not just rules but the reasons behind them.

Murali believes in a four-pronged approach to traffic management: Education, Enforcement, Engineering, and Emergency Response.

He advocates campaigns like no-honking drives, helmet and seatbelt use, and traffic discipline at public junctions.

He said that his efforts were receiving a strong public response, noting that out of every 100 people they engaged with, at least 90 responded positively, which he saw as a sign of change.

Through rain, heat, and long hours, Murali continues his mission every weekend and during his free time.

For him, every whistle blown is a tribute to his late friend and a step toward making roads safer for everyone.

Murali’s journey is proof that individual action can spark collective change, and that road safety isn’t just a policy; it’s a personal commitment.

Image Credit: SapavathGopiNaik, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Real85.jpg