Some 104 city constables will be equipped with pagers and stationed at as many points -- eight in each of the 13 police stations areas -- to keep a tab on the goings-on in their areas between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and again between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. They will be expected to make rounds of their areas to familiarise themselves with local residents.

The novel exercise aims at strengthening the police-public relationship and building a ``people-friendly'' force. Also, Sharma wants any citizen to first approach the pager-constable and seek his assistance. The pager numbers of the constables concerned will be provided by the local councillors. Though initially the messages have to be sent in English, Gujarati messages can be sent from September.

Incidentally, the Vadodara police commissionerate is the first in the State to be fitting out its constables with pagers. Even senior police officials elsewhere do not have this facility. The pagers are being supplied by the city-based company, Easy Call.