Women traffic cops on towing duty in Pune, no more complaints of rude behaviour

The Pune City Traffic Control branch currently operates 15 towing vehicles, including trucks and cranes, which are run by a third-party contractor. One traffic cop is deployed on each towing vehicle all the time for charging violators and initiating the impounding process of vehicles from no-parking areas. The drivers of the vehicles caught are then directed to the traffic division concerned for collection of compounding amounts or fines.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic Control Branch) Vijaykumar Magar said, “We had been getting several complaints about the rude behaviour of traffic cops on duty, especially those on towing vehicles. On an experimental basis, we have deployed women traffic cops on all the towing vehicles for the last 15 days. We haven’t had any complaints during this period. We are working towards forming a system that is more streamlined.”

In June last year, after receiving complaints against some traffic cops and towing vehicle operators, the Pune police had put a temporary moratorium on collection of fines from violators. The complaints were mainly about the rude behaviour on the part of cops and towing vehicle operators. There had been cases where cops had forcefully seized the keys of bikes, imposed higher fine amounts and also sought bribes. There also had been specific complaints against towing vehicle operators about their rude behavior.

While traffic police too had argued their side saying there are cases of violators hurling abuses, not stopping after being signalled to do so and fleeing after being stopped for violation. There were multiple cases of attacks on traffic cops, too.

The traffic branch of Pune City police is led by an officer of Deputy Commissioner of Police rank and currently has a strength of close to 1,000 personnel and officers.