‘AC helmets’ help Delhi traffic cops stay cool
Along with the helmets, the officers have also been given portable fans to ward off the heat.
A Traffic policeman wears an AC helmet on Monday. (Express photo by Tashi Tobgyal) Head Constable Ramesh Kumar adjusts the strap of his newly issued air-conditioned helmet before stepping into the harsh afternoon sun at Central Delhi’s busy Tughlaq Road roundabout, where he has been deployed to manage traffic. Amid scorching temperatures, the heat radiating off the asphalt is relentless, the kind that leaves uniforms drenched within minutes.
But for the last two-three days, Kumar says, the cooling devices — launched on a trial basis — have offered some relief from the extreme heat.
“Usually, sweat keeps dripping from the head and face. With the AC helmet, the head stays cooler,” Kumar says while regulating traffic.
Along with the helmets, the officers have also been given portable fans to ward off the heat.
Kumar is among a group of Delhi Traffic Police personnel currently testing portable cooling devices, battery operated fans and air-conditioned helmets introduced to help officers cope with the Capital’s heatwave conditions.
A senior police officer said the devices have been distributed in various parts of the city on a trial basis to assess their effectiveness during long outdoor duty hours.
“On a trial basis, these have been distributed among traffic personnel deployed at different locations across the city. Feedback is being taken from officers on the ground,” the officer said.
At present, the devices have been distributed among traffic personnel keeping in mind locations where traffic arrangement is heavy, the officer added.
The initiative comes in the wake of Delhi continuing to reel under the grip of a heatwave, with several areas recording temperatures above 40°C this summer. Traffic personnel, who spend hours in long outdoor shifts — standing at intersections navigating exhaust fumes and hot winds — are among the worst affected by the gruelling heat.
The AC helmet assigned to Kumar is lightweight, weighing around 500 to 600 grams, and is battery-operated and rechargeable. According to officers involved in the trial, the device can function for nearly eight to ten hours on a single charge. “In direct sunlight, it definitely helps,” Kumar says. “The ventilation and airflow reduce the heat around the face and head”, he adds.
The AC helmets, too, are being tested as part of the pilot project. Equipped with miniature cooling and ventilation systems, the helmets are designed to reduce heat buildup during prolonged deployment under the sun.
On the initiative, Manish Kumar, Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said, “They are at the proof of concept level, we are checking the efficiency and how easy they are to work with”.
Alongside the cooling devices, the Delhi Traffic Police has also deployed hydration vans in the New Delhi traffic circle to ensure officers stay well hydrated while they are out on their outdoor shifts.
The vans, carrying ORS solutions and lemonade, make rounds across duty points where personnel have been stationed to manage vehicle and pedestrian flow. The hydration vans provide a much-needed breather to officers who routinely battle dehydration, fatigue and heat exhaustion while regulating traffic during peak summer months.
Share
