Bengaluru: IPS officer M.A. Saleem, Karnataka’s new police chief, has served in various capacities in a career spanning over three decades, but his most notable work has come as a traffic super cop which earned him the moniker ‘one-way Saleem’, and as the head of multiple SITs that probed high-profile cases in the state.
Saleem was named the new Director General & Inspector General of Police (DGIGP) Wednesday after Alok Mohan retired as the state’s longest serving IPS officer.
Saleem, a 1993-batch officer, headed the special investigation teams that probed cases like the multi-crore IMA (I Monetary Advisory) ponzi scam, bitcoin scam, rape charges against former MP Prajwal Revanna, Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam and allegations of graft against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Valmiki development board.
He was last serving as the director general of police, criminal investigation department (CID), economic offences and special units.
But Saleem is best known as ‘one-way commissioner’ or ‘one-way Saleem’ for his expertise in traffic management. During his various stints as the head of Bengaluru’s traffic department, he implemented ‘one-way’ traffic based on scientific study of traffic flow on around 128 major roads in India’s IT capital to ease congestion.
Saleem, who has a Master’s in police management and a doctorate in traffic management from Bangalore University, insists the issue of traffic management should not be seen in isolation for a city.
“We have to see the state holistically and not only Bengaluru city. We have traffic problems in Hubbali-Dharwad, Belagavi, Mangaluru. Not only Karnataka but all cities in India have these problems,” he told ThePrint Thursday.
He was the leader of Indian Police Officers delegation that was trained under the Anti-Terrorism Assistance Programme at Louisiana State Police Academy, USA. He also has completed a Police Executive Programme Course at Cambridge University, UK.
Saleem has penned a book titled ‘Traffic Management in Metropolitan Cities’, which he says, provides a framework for “sustainable strategies to overcome traffic congestion and ensure greater safety on roads”.
Asked if he has any specific plans or will he issue any direction for the force to address traffic issues in Bengaluru city, Saleem said; “It will take some time…I have to settle down, then we will see. Since I have prior experience, that experience can be shared and used.”
A soft-spoken and tech-savvy officer, Saleem has steered clear of controversy, rarely making any remark out of turn or riling up any one. He has been appointed the police chief superseding DGP (fire services) Prashant Kumar Thakur.
Also Read: Karnataka ex-DGP’s son points finger at mother, sister for murder in Bengaluru home
MA Saleem’s professional journey
Saleem was brought in as special commissioner (traffic) in November 2022 by then chief minister Basavaraj Bommai when Bengaluru consistently started to feature in the list of the world’s most congested cities in the TomTom index.
Saleem told ThePrint he will try to use his learnings from Bengaluru and technology in other cities in the state as well.
Bengaluru has been promoting Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) but it has had few takers since cycle lanes are often dug up or rarely used anyway. Walking on pavements has become treacherous. Incessant rains over the last week have further exposed the frailties of India’s IT capital’s public infrastructure, which force Bengaluru residents to spend unproductive hours in traffic.
Around 2,000 new vehicles are being registered in Bengaluru everyday, government data shows, indicating the growing pressure on the already congested city roads.
But Saleem’s expertise in traffic management also raises expectations that he, along with Joint Commissioner (Traffic) M.N.Anucheth, will be able to decongest the city which houses 1.2 crore people. According to government data, there are about 1.23 crore vehicles.
The trend of increasing private vehicle registration and usage is driven by the limited availability and reach of mass mobility solutions. Projects like the metro and sub-urban rail are either incomplete or operational only in small sections, which currently do not adequately serve the city’s vast area.
According to the city traffic police department, of the total number of vehicles, two-wheelers account for 70 percent, cars 15 percent, autorickshaws 4 percent, and the remaining are buses, vans and tempos.
Saleem was decorated with the President’s Police Medal for distinguished services in 2017, the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Services in 2009, the National Award for e-Governance for exemplary usage of ICT by the Government of India, a commendation disk by the Bureau of Police Research and Development in 2021.
He was conferred with the prestigious The Institute of Road Traffic Education Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for his contribution to promote road safety.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Karnataka ex-CM Yediyurappa booked for alleged sexual assault on minor