Kochi: “Hello, hope this isn’t the City Police Traffic Control Room?” “No, this is Vikraman Pillai speaking!”

After two weeks of confusion and non-stop calls meant for the city traffic control room, Vikraman Pillai can finally breathe easy. His phone has stopped ringing off the hook, and for the first time in days, he can answer a call without worrying about traffic blocks or road accidents.

The mix-up, which had turned his phone into a makeshift helpline, was resolved after Malayala Manorama reported on his ordeal. Following the report, Pillai’s number was removed from the official website of the Kochi City Traffic Police Control Room, where it had mistakenly been listed.

Pillai, who has used the same number since 2009, currently works as the Administrative Manager at Lulu Shopping Mall. The flood of emergency calls had become so overwhelming that he had to submit petitions to authorities, including the Assistant Commissioner of Police, seeking urgent action.

He is now also requesting anyone who may have saved his number as the traffic control room contact to delete it, to avoid further confusion. After all, it saves time for emergency callers — and spares Mr Pillai from more unwanted calls.

For now, both his phone and his peace of mind have been restored.