New duty roster irks traffic wardens
May 19, 2009
LAHORE
THE City Traffic Police have introduced a new duty shift system of four hours, which engages a traffic warden for 12 hours instead of 8 hours resulting in irritation among traffic wardens and chaos in the smooth flow of traffic.
Traffic Wardens of City Traffic Police (CTP) have expressed displeasure over this illogical and tormenting punishment imposed on them by divisional traffic SPs and Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore.
According to the new schedule of duties imposed on traffic wardens, CTO Mirza Shakeel, following the advice of SP Traffic City Division Sardar Asif has divided the duties of traffic wardens in four shifts. First shift starts at 7 am and continues until 11 am (4 hours). Second Shift starts from 11 am and continues until 3 pm (4 hours). Third shift starts from 3 pm and continues until 7 pm (4 hours). Forth and last one shift starts at 7 pm and continues until 11 pm. Last shift usually exceed 12 am.
Each traffic warden has to work in two shifts. If a traffic warden is deputed from 7 am to 11 am, he/she is given rest for four hours and had to return again on duty at 3 pm. Same is the case with one who has to start his/her duty from 11 am to 3 pm. Traffic wardens who finish their duty at 3 pm, return back at 7 pm after four hours rest.
Traffic wardens, who belong to different parts of city as well as to adjoining cities, term four hours rest as four hours punishment for them. One of the traffic wardens, requesting anonymity, said that he belongs to Raiwind and he is deputed in Mughalpura (City Division). “If I go on my duty at 7 am and had to go again on 3 pm, it was impossible for him to return”, he added. He said that it was not only impossible to come back home twice in scorching heat but also not affordable financially.
Some other traffic wardens, who belong to the adjoining cities of Lahore like Sheikhupura, Muridke and Kasur, said that SP City Traffic Sardar Asif has initiated four times duty shift system in Mughalpura. Subsequently, it was also introduced in Township Traffic Sector falling under the jurisdiction of Sadar Traffic Division. This four-shift duty system would be implemented across the city, traffic wardens contended.
They said that even if traffic wardens manage to go back to their by spending one hour in going home and one hour to come back to their duties, only two hours are left for their rest. They added that the remaining two hours become mental unrest for them due to prevailing wave of unscheduled load shedding in the provincial metropolis. It is also learnt that the traffic wardens, who had now been engaged for 12 hours, were unable give time to their families. It has completely disturbed their social life, they claimed.
Traffic wardens are of the view that if their high-ups had planned to give them rest for four hours then they should also give shelter to them, as they could not move from homes twice. “It would tarnish the image of City Traffic Police”, the traffic wardens claimed as it was established to give soft image of policing.
The traffic wardens have also registered their protest on new duty system saying that officers sit in Air-conditioned offices therefore they were unaware of miseries and problems of traffic wardens who perform duties in scorching hot weather.
A senior police officer of CTP, requesting anonymity said that SP City Traffic has introduced this system as a punishment for traffic wardens. He added that some traffic wardens had excused of working for continuous 8 hours at traffic signals after which this system was introduced in Mughalpura Sector. However, he said that according to the Police Rules, a policeman is an employee for 24 hours and he could be called at any time.
When contacted SP City Traffic Sardar Asif on the issue, he refused to comment saying that this correspondent should contact with the CTO. However, SP Traffic Sadar Division Intisar Jafri explained that he had not introduced this duty system in his division. CTO Mirza Shakeel was not available for comments.
THE City Traffic Police have introduced a new duty shift system of four hours, which engages a traffic warden for 12 hours instead of 8 hours resulting in irritation among traffic wardens and chaos in the smooth flow of traffic.
Traffic Wardens of City Traffic Police (CTP) have expressed displeasure over this illogical and tormenting punishment imposed on them by divisional traffic SPs and Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore.
According to the new schedule of duties imposed on traffic wardens, CTO Mirza Shakeel, following the advice of SP Traffic City Division Sardar Asif has divided the duties of traffic wardens in four shifts. First shift starts at 7 am and continues until 11 am (4 hours). Second Shift starts from 11 am and continues until 3 pm (4 hours). Third shift starts from 3 pm and continues until 7 pm (4 hours). Forth and last one shift starts at 7 pm and continues until 11 pm. Last shift usually exceed 12 am.
Each traffic warden has to work in two shifts. If a traffic warden is deputed from 7 am to 11 am, he/she is given rest for four hours and had to return again on duty at 3 pm. Same is the case with one who has to start his/her duty from 11 am to 3 pm. Traffic wardens who finish their duty at 3 pm, return back at 7 pm after four hours rest.
Traffic wardens, who belong to different parts of city as well as to adjoining cities, term four hours rest as four hours punishment for them. One of the traffic wardens, requesting anonymity, said that he belongs to Raiwind and he is deputed in Mughalpura (City Division). “If I go on my duty at 7 am and had to go again on 3 pm, it was impossible for him to return”, he added. He said that it was not only impossible to come back home twice in scorching heat but also not affordable financially.
Some other traffic wardens, who belong to the adjoining cities of Lahore like Sheikhupura, Muridke and Kasur, said that SP City Traffic Sardar Asif has initiated four times duty shift system in Mughalpura. Subsequently, it was also introduced in Township Traffic Sector falling under the jurisdiction of Sadar Traffic Division. This four-shift duty system would be implemented across the city, traffic wardens contended.
They said that even if traffic wardens manage to go back to their by spending one hour in going home and one hour to come back to their duties, only two hours are left for their rest. They added that the remaining two hours become mental unrest for them due to prevailing wave of unscheduled load shedding in the provincial metropolis. It is also learnt that the traffic wardens, who had now been engaged for 12 hours, were unable give time to their families. It has completely disturbed their social life, they claimed.
Traffic wardens are of the view that if their high-ups had planned to give them rest for four hours then they should also give shelter to them, as they could not move from homes twice. “It would tarnish the image of City Traffic Police”, the traffic wardens claimed as it was established to give soft image of policing.
The traffic wardens have also registered their protest on new duty system saying that officers sit in Air-conditioned offices therefore they were unaware of miseries and problems of traffic wardens who perform duties in scorching hot weather.
A senior police officer of CTP, requesting anonymity said that SP City Traffic has introduced this system as a punishment for traffic wardens. He added that some traffic wardens had excused of working for continuous 8 hours at traffic signals after which this system was introduced in Mughalpura Sector. However, he said that according to the Police Rules, a policeman is an employee for 24 hours and he could be called at any time.
When contacted SP City Traffic Sardar Asif on the issue, he refused to comment saying that this correspondent should contact with the CTO. However, SP Traffic Sadar Division Intisar Jafri explained that he had not introduced this duty system in his division. CTO Mirza Shakeel was not available for comments.
