Lack of ladies toilets in the national Capital is making life miserable for the women cops deployed on field duty particularly those on traffic duty. They are forced to search for alternate options by themselves for either changing uniform or to use the washroom otherwise.
It has been learnt that there are many female traffic cops who are not allowed to wear uniforms — trouser and shirt — from home so they have to first change their clothes into the police uniform and then join duty. However, in maximum areas where they are deployed they do not have the facilities of public convenience.
“I belong to a family where I am not allowed to wear western clothes. Since my childhood I was bound to wear salwar kameez. Above all, I have to wear a burkha over my attire whenever I have to step out of home. I always wanted to join the police force and then I qualified the entrance of Delhi Police. Since then I am posted in the traffic department,” said Sarah (name changed), a resident of Haryana.
She further said that her family does not have a problem with her job but they do not allow her to wear the uniform from her residence itself. So she has to carry her uniform and then change it in a school in South Delhi which is barely meters away from the place where she is deployed. She again changes the uniform and wears her suit and burkha after completion of her duty hours.
Another woman traffic cop, who avoids wearing the uniform in public transport because she does not have sufficient white shirts (part of Delhi Traffic Police uniform), has to change her uniform in a residential colony which is near to her place of deployment in South-east Delhi.
The cops have to work for more than 14 hours in a day and most of the traffic police deployment is on the road. These cops are busy in maintaining traffic movement and challaning the violators.
Out of around 200 female traffic cops, most of them are deployed on field. But no arrangement for washroom has been made by the government or the department itself. As a result, they have to take favours from the offices near to their place of deployments, schools, colleges, malls, residents to use washroom.
“It’s very insulting as every time I have to knock a door for permission to use the washroom. Also, at times it is not safe to seek help for this. Though, I always check the washroom but still I don’t feel comfortable and safe,” said Hemlata (name changed), posted in New Delhi Range.