As many as 351 policemen of district police were provided with weekly off on Thursday bringing joy to the policemen stressed with overwork without planned holiday.
The weekly off is a New Year gift for policemen who welcomed the move but it was on trial basis and would be implemented after gauging the implications with the next 2-3 days said senior officials.
DIG Bhopal Dharmendra Choudhary said that on Thursday weekly off was given and roaster was made accordingly.
The system would be made functional as soon as adequate force would be available as this is on trial basis and soon it would be implemented. The policemen are provided with holidays but which are not planned due to limitation and conditions. Answering to the question of heavy traffic jams in the peak hours causing problems for the commuters and citizens DIG Choudhary said that at present staff with the traffic police is less than half in strength due to frequent VIP movement and with few days normal traffic would be maintained for smooth flow of traffic. Superintendent of Police (Headquarter) Dharamveer Singh Yadav said that 351 policemen from the rank of Inspector to Constable were provided week off. Six police station house officers and in-charges were in among the 351 policemen.
For other ranks and issues which surfaced during the week –off of this lot of staff would be considered and better way to implement in the system would be find and implemented, he added.
He said that there is provision of 16-Casual Leaves, 30-Earned Leaves and 15- Special Leaves to the policeman.
The holidays are provided but at many occasions planned leaves have to be cancelled due to emergency, law and order and other critical situations which become the need of the hour.