75 women recruited for traffic brigade

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffid) B M Chauhan said: “We have started training them. Both theoretical and practical training are been given to them for the last four days. We are also taking them to different traffic junctions as part of the training. We will deploy them on the job from October 2. The new brigades are giving excellent performance in their training. The second phase of another group will be started in the coming few month.”

Darshna Rathod,who has done MA,B.Ed,said: “My husband works in a textile factory at Pandesara and we stay in a joint family. I tried for jobs at many places in schools and tuition classes but they all demanded donations. We were not much financially sound. I was informed of the recruitment drive and decided to join the service. My in-laws had no objection and they supported me to take care of the children.”

The concept of an alternative force to man traffic was mooted in 2005 by then police commissioner Sudhir Sinha following a severe staff crunch.

More than 150 unemployed youths were selected on a pilot basis and given training about traffic rules and regulation.

Each traffic brigade member received a salary of Rs 110 per day for an eight-hour shift (four in the morning and four in the evening),which was borne by the Traffic Education Trust comprising businessmen and industrialists.

Later,another 100 youths were selected and trained. Today,all members of the traffic brigades are seen on the roads in their ubiquitous white and blue uniforms.