Police depend on water, fruits, and kindness of strangers to get through eighthour shifts
On a scorching weekday afternoon, a traffic police official was sitting under the shade of a tree near the Hebbal bus stop on his bike, sipping water. “We need to bring a minimum of two litres of water every day to survive a shift,” he said, when asked about how he is managing to perform his duty during a particularly hot summer.
The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) officials spend at least eight hours every day out in the open irrespective of weather conditions. When there is VIP movement or traffic congestion, the shift exceeds the stipulated duration.
“Over the years, we have gotten used to working in such conditions. Nevertheless, it is hard when the temperature goes up like this. When the traffic volume is less, I take a small break like this for five minutes, find shade somewhere, have water, and get back to duty. The top officials should at least provide us with small chowkis where we can shield ourselves from the sun while working,” the police official said.
Most police personnel on the ground say that they get no aid from the department to cope with the heat. “They gave us sunglasses some two years ago and they are not usable anymore. Other than that, we got nothing. Usually, we bring water and fruits like watermelon and sometimes even glucose or ORS solution in our bags during the summer,” said a traffic police official near Shivajinagar.
He added: “It is one thing if we are deployed near main roads where we at least have access to water. But if we are in residential areas, then it is essential for us to go prepared.”
For female traffic police officials, the heat adds to the already existing burden of not having access to clean washrooms and having to work through their menstrual cycle with no place to rest. “We have no option but to continue working through it all,” said a woman traffic police on Doddaballapur Road.
The male police personnel with her said: “If we apply sunscreen, when the heat is too much and we sweat, it starts irritating our skin. So, we avoid it. It is the same with hats. Drinking a lot of water is the key to get through these hours.”
Another police personnel said he relies on cooling Ayurvedic oils.
Help from public
Many personnel also recalled how earlier, before Bengaluru grew so big, members of the public were more than happy to provide them with water and refreshments and even shelter.
“Now, with some cases of conmen posing as the police, people are scared. But some retailers often give us a bottle or two of soft drinks every time they spot us on their way to the shops. Some people also bring cold water or buttermilk and give it to us on extremely hot days,” said another police inspector.