KNIGHT AT 99

Mangaluru’s nonagenarian traffic warden and his squad are on a mission to make roads safe

- OSHIN GRACE DANIELL

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.