KNIGHT AT 99
THE WEEK|March 14, 2021
Mangaluru’s nonagenarian traffic warden and his squad are on a mission to make roads safe
OSHIN GRACE DANIELL
KNIGHT AT 99

Mangaluru is seated at the junction where the Netravathi and Gurupur rivers join the Arabian Sea. But this is not your typical laid back, seaside town. Offering a contrast to the beautiful beaches and scenic coastline is the nightmarish traffic on city roads. Call it Mangaluru’s own Jekyll-and-Hyde act. But, the cheerful people, spicy seafood and stalls selling steaming neer dosas are the same across town.

If you are a tourist in town, there is the Pilikula Biological Park, the Milagres Church… and do look for the 99-year-old traffic warden. One can find him at traffic hotspots and busy areas in Hampankatta. He always has a smile for those who obey traffic rules; others receive a polite nudge and some suggestions, kindly put.

“I am not 99-years-old, I am 99-years-young,” says Joseph Gonsalves, aka Joe, the chief traffic warden of Mangaluru. Somehow, it sounded similar to the new catchphrase that Arnold Schwarzenegger mouthed in Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)—“I am old, but I am not obsolete.” Joe was ready to spill his life story in the first phone call itself, but it was a tale of intrigue; the kind that called for a visit.

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