Traffic cops have no choice but to face the heat

BHUBANESWAR: With the mercury soaring, the situation is getting too hot to handle for the traffic policemen in the city. While others beat the heat by staying indoors, the traffic cops have no choice but to sweat it out.  Even as the administration had taken appropriate measures to help them in carrying out their duties without being affected by the heat, these seem to be of little help for them. Earlier, fans were fitted inside the traffic booths to keep them cool during the daytime so that the traffic constables deployed have no problem while discharging their duties. However, with road construction and expansion works going on in many parts of the city, many of the traffic booths have been removed, adding to their woes. With no alternative, these traffic policemen are having to stand under the blazing sun to maintain traffic. Sources said the Police Commissionerate has 114 traffic constables in Bhubaneswar, including around 35 women constables, deployed at 45 traffic junctions of the city. And they work on eight-hour shift. Traffic booths in over 10 junctions in the city have been removed in the wake of the ongoing road works. “This is one of the most trying jobs. We have no option but to stand for hours being exposed to the heat and pollution. There is no escape and the situation is worse in the absence of the booths,” said a constable. A senior official of the Traffic Police said like every year, this year too the traffic policemen and women would be provided with umbrellas, hats, gloves and sunglasses to protect themselves from the scorching heat. “This apart, police, along with private bodies, will make arrangements to provide glucose water to traffic personnel in different junctions across the city,” the officer added.  The constables, however, feel that these measures are clearly not enough. “What will we do with an umbrella? We cannot direct traffic holding an umbrella in one hand,” said another constable. The authorities have to think about an ideal working condition for the traffic personnel. Traffic Police sources said the booths will be put back in place following completion of the road works. But till the  works are over, traffic constables have no choice but to face the heat.