Traffic Ramasamy aged 87 was a nightmare for Tamil Nadu politicians and officials. In the early days, Ramasamy voluntarily assisted the police in regulating the traffic on the Chennai-Barimuna.
Following this, the traffic police issued him an identity card. It was first called Traffic Ramasamy.
Similarly, he was the one who brought many matters to public light through welfare cases in the High Court. The one who found the solution. In addition, the High Court has given several important judgments due to his ongoing welfare case against illegally constructed buildings in Chennai and buildings constructed without vehicle parking facilities.
Much of his activism relates to regulating traffic in Chennai and filing PIL in court.
Before he became a popular activist he started unofficially directing traffic at the city’s busy Parrys Corner.
He acquired the nickname Traffic Ramaswamy after that.
Traffic brought many public interest lawsuits in the Madras High Court as well as the Supreme Court of India.
In 2007, he was attacked by his opponents’ lawyers on the steps of the courthouse.
This was not the first time, he has been attacked: in 2002, he was assaulted by fish sellers, after he obtained a ban on the use of motorised fish carts, damaging his sight and his family have disowned him.
He has also had his office ransacked and papers were stolen.
However, helped by donations from friends and the public he claims he will continue his fight to make Chennai the most livable and lovable city. his Advocate Mr S. Ganesan helping him to file PIL case from 2007.
His activism has resulted in the demolition of many illegally constructed buildings in Chennai, restrictions on motorised fish carts, de-congestion of major bus routes by banning auto-rickshaws from them, and a review of lavish state funding for a feature film (arguing the money could be more properly used for development work).
He is now accompanied day and night by an armed police bodyguard appointed by the Madras High Court.
