Photos: Gurugram traffic cops enjoy their first ever weekly off

By HT Correspondent

Updated On Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

Gurugram traffic police recently decided to deploy 50% of its 1,700 personnel on weekends; the move introducing Saturdays and Sundays off in shifts for its officers. The move—which comes two weeks after the newly-elected Madhya Pradesh government’s decision to offer a compulsory weekly off for all police personnel in the state—is the second initiative of its kind to reduce stress, improve health and job performance of police personnel.

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Head constable Surinder Singh (C) basks in the sun with his family. “This is my first weekly off in 16 years of service. I feel happy, almost like the time when I got married,” said the 49-year-old. Posted at Traffic Tower in Sushant Lok 1, he was among the 850 police personnel who got the first weekly off of their careers in the police force on Sunday. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

Head constable Surinder Singh (C) basks in the sun with his family. “This is my first weekly off in 16 years of service. I feel happy, almost like the time when I got married,” said the 49-year-old. Posted at Traffic Tower in Sushant Lok 1, he was among the 850 police personnel who got the first weekly off of their careers in the police force on Sunday. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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Police personnel across departments get together. 50% of the force rested Sunday, the other 850 personnel will get offs this Saturday. The decision to give compulsory weekly offs in shifts, on Saturdays and Sundays, was announced Friday by police commissioner KK Rao considering the low volume of traffic is on weekends and little traffic congestion witnessed on these days. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

Police personnel across departments get together. 50% of the force rested Sunday, the other 850 personnel will get offs this Saturday. The decision to give compulsory weekly offs in shifts, on Saturdays and Sundays, was announced Friday by police commissioner KK Rao considering the low volume of traffic is on weekends and little traffic congestion witnessed on these days. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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“I can’t believe how good it feels to wake up late, have tea in bed and just chat with my son and daughter about everything and nothing. I have an 8am to 8pm job at the Traffic Tower, which is extremely demanding,” Singh said. Grateful to spend time with his family, he said his offs would afford him the luxury to organise his documents and life. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

“I can’t believe how good it feels to wake up late, have tea in bed and just chat with my son and daughter about everything and nothing. I have an 8am to 8pm job at the Traffic Tower, which is extremely demanding,” Singh said. Grateful to spend time with his family, he said his offs would afford him the luxury to organise his documents and life. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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Aggression, threats and unacceptable behaviour from people on the streets are professional hazards. Under such circumstance, a break on weekends, was a move to ensure that police personnel de-stress and lead a “regular life”, as was the case with 45-year-old sub-inspector Naresh Kumar, for whom the leave meant being able to play the role of a father, husband and son. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

Aggression, threats and unacceptable behaviour from people on the streets are professional hazards. Under such circumstance, a break on weekends, was a move to ensure that police personnel de-stress and lead a “regular life”, as was the case with 45-year-old sub-inspector Naresh Kumar, for whom the leave meant being able to play the role of a father, husband and son. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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“I always feel like taking my wife and children to new places, take them out for dinner, shopping and the usual things, but I could hardly ever do that. Now I can,” Kumar said. His wife Premlata, too, was elated. “We had morning tea together after 24 years. He even made breakfast for me,” she said in contrast to the morning rush and panic of other days. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

“I always feel like taking my wife and children to new places, take them out for dinner, shopping and the usual things, but I could hardly ever do that. Now I can,” Kumar said. His wife Premlata, too, was elated. “We had morning tea together after 24 years. He even made breakfast for me,” she said in contrast to the morning rush and panic of other days. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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Mental health experts and doctors said that strenuous jobs keep one from spending time with loved ones and this was bound to take a toll on mental and physical health. Psychiatrist Dr Brahmdeep Sindhu said, “Rest energizes. The weekly off will help traffic personnel. They will finally get some time when they will not be answering the call of duty. That feeling of freedom, and not being bound, is crucial for mental health.” (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

Mental health experts and doctors said that strenuous jobs keep one from spending time with loved ones and this was bound to take a toll on mental and physical health. Psychiatrist Dr Brahmdeep Sindhu said, “Rest energizes. The weekly off will help traffic personnel. They will finally get some time when they will not be answering the call of duty. That feeling of freedom, and not being bound, is crucial for mental health.” (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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The sense of freedom was palpable in the home of ASI Pradeep Kumar, who started his day by making ginger tea for his wife, discussed his son’s studies and true to the doctor’s word was “looking forward to the next day at work with a little more zeal than usual” (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

The sense of freedom was palpable in the home of ASI Pradeep Kumar, who started his day by making ginger tea for his wife, discussed his son’s studies and true to the doctor’s word was “looking forward to the next day at work with a little more zeal than usual” (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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The day not only worked as a mood elevator for the adults, but children too. “Being with dad on a Sunday is like a dream come true. I took him to a nearby shop, made him buy me chocolates and then took him to the market, where he bought me a cool new cricket bat,” said Prince, son of head constable Rajkumar, who has been in the service for 20 years. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

The day not only worked as a mood elevator for the adults, but children too. “Being with dad on a Sunday is like a dream come true. I took him to a nearby shop, made him buy me chocolates and then took him to the market, where he bought me a cool new cricket bat,” said Prince, son of head constable Rajkumar, who has been in the service for 20 years. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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ASI Raj Kumar primps his uniform. Professor of Psychology at MD University (Rohtak) Shalini Singh, who has been taking counselling sessions with the police department said, “Working long hours with constant stress and in the absence of a weekly off, they get frustrated and become very prone to mental illnesses. Even a day’s rest is extremely beneficial for mental health. This is a timely and humanitarian decision.” (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

ASI Raj Kumar primps his uniform. Professor of Psychology at MD University (Rohtak) Shalini Singh, who has been taking counselling sessions with the police department said, “Working long hours with constant stress and in the absence of a weekly off, they get frustrated and become very prone to mental illnesses. Even a day’s rest is extremely beneficial for mental health. This is a timely and humanitarian decision.” (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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The move—which comes two weeks after the newly-elected Madhya Pradesh government’s decision to offer a compulsory weekly off for all police personnel in the state—is the second initiative of its kind to reduce stress, improve health and job performance of police personnel. In October 2018, shift timings of Gurugram police personnel were reduced to eight hours from the earlier 12 hours. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 21, 2019 03:44 pm IST

The move—which comes two weeks after the newly-elected Madhya Pradesh government’s decision to offer a compulsory weekly off for all police personnel in the state—is the second initiative of its kind to reduce stress, improve health and job performance of police personnel. In October 2018, shift timings of Gurugram police personnel were reduced to eight hours from the earlier 12 hours. (Yogendra Kumar / HT Photo)

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