Visakhapatnam: Working for hours under a hot sun, traffic police a hapless lot

Rise in VIP movement and number of vehicles adds to their woes

Manning the flow of vehicles under a relentlessly scorching sun for hours on end, the job of the traffic police is an unenviable one.

The traffic police personnel are working for eight hours a day, exposed to the heat. Most of them are dehydrated by the end of day.

“Ours is an exhausting job. Over the years, there has been an increase in VIP movement, number of vehicles, as well as pollution. Manning a junction for two hours is a mammoth task now. Apart from joint pains, we feel frustrated by the end of the day, which takes a toll on our mental health,” said a 30-year old traffic police constable in the city requesting not to be named.

According to some traffic personnel, the construction of police outposts across the city in the past few years has been a saving grace.

“We rush to the nearest police outpost and take some rest for five to 10 minutes. We drink some water, take some refreshments, and resume our duty. The situation was bad a few years ago as there was no place to refresh ourselves or take a break,” another constable said.

Many personnel have been taking precautions keeping in view the merciless heat. Some of them are following a special diet, carrying health drinks to beat the heat.

Though it is the end of April, the city traffic personnel have not received any special summer kits this year. Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the department used to provide kits comprising caps, vests, sunglasses, energy drinks, and water bottles to help the traffic police protect themselves from the heat. However, this year, they have received only caps, the traffic police said.