A step closer to 8-hour work day for Mumbai police

Cops on night duty near Girgaon chowpatty. File pic; mid-day’s report on eight-hour shifts for women cops on February 17

After a gap of almost two years, many from the Mumbai police could soon get eight-hour duties. Commissioner of Police Sanjay Pandey appointed a 7-member committee on Monday to formulate dynamic duties for cops. It has been given four options for duties ranging from eight hours to 24 hours, which will be given to staff as per their work.

Police officers will also be included in the dynamic duty chart which was till now limited to the constabulary.

In 2016, the work duration for the police was brought down from 12 hours to 8 hours. But as the pandemic struck, to enforce lockdown rules, maximum members of the force were brought onto the roads. For this, the eight-hour shift was suspended and all policemen were given 12-hour duties and 12-hour rest. The constables were unhappy with the duty chart as most stay far from the city and spent 16 to 17 hours every day at work and commuting.

‘Why not for us?'

Recently, Pandey had launched eight-hour duties for the women constabulary from March 8 on the occasion of International Women's Day.

"On March 15, when he had arranged a darbar for the police at the Local Arms Headquarters, Naigaon, many male cops demanded eight-hour duty timings, too. The CP then ordered the setting up of a committee to look into the demand, and chalk out a road map to start a dynamic duty chart for policemen," said a senior police officer.

"The key in fixing the duty hours is the travelling point of a cop from his home to his police station. This needs to be addressed while fixing duty hours, so there are four different work modes available for the cops. Also, considering weekly offs and emergency medical applications of cops, there needs to be some alternatives, too," said another senior police officer. "There won't be uniform duty hours for all the cops, every cop will get duty hours as per his assigned work," he added. The committee has to submit its report within 10 days.

"The cops appointed as staff in the station house, police station or different branches and administrative offices can easily get eight-hour duty. But those involved in detection and general work can be given 12-hour duties with an option of 12-hour rest like the current duty hours. But those who have night shift can have 24-hour rest and return to morning shift the next day. For drivers and wireless operators the 24-hour duty will be perfect," said another policeman.

Plans in the works

8-hour duty 16-hour rest
12-hour duty 12-hour rest
12-hour duty 24-hour rest
24-hour duty 24-hour rest

The committee

The Committee will be headed by Additional Commissioner (East Region), Sanjay Darade and will have Additional Commissioner (Local Arms, Naigaon) Virendra Mishra, DCP (zone 4) Vijay Patil; DCP (Zone 8) Dr DS Swami; ACP (Bhoiwada division) Sangeeta Patil; Senior Inspector of Sahar Sanjay Govilkar and Sr PI LT Marg Police station, Jyoti Desai as members. The committee has to study the different work of policemen including crime branch and other branches. Constables Ravindra Patil and Pratik Sawant, attached to DCP (operation) office will assist the committee.