Though transgender persons may not be part of the police force and wear different uniforms, they, nonetheless do the duties of police or home guards.
Published Sep 14, 2024 | 3:54 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 14, 2024 | 3:54 PM
Transgender persons to manage Hyderabad traffic. (Facebook/ Hyderabad traffic police)
For the first time in the country, the Telangana government is going to deploy transgender persons on traffic duty in Hyderabad.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s move is being seen as one intended to serve two purposes—providing employment to transgender persons and giving them the recognition and dignity that they deserve.
The chief minister, at a review on Friday, 13 September, said that it would address two societal issues – employment for the marginalised transgender community and traffic management. “It is an example of creative and lateral thinking in governance,” the CMO said in a message on X.
Though transgender persons may not be part of the police force and wear different uniforms, they, nonetheless do the duties of police or home guards. The chief minister is understood to have asked the officials to decide on a respectable amount of money to pay them as remuneration.
The government is working on creating distinct uniforms for transgender recruits with separate designs according to their gender identity. In addition, the terms of employment, including salaries and other benefits are being finalized to ensure equality and respect for the new recruits.
A source in the chief minister’s office speaking with South First said: “The transgender persons on traffic duty will have a distinct uniform. The point is not whether they have the same uniform that the police wear or not. The issue here is helping them lead a life of dignity.”
“We think that people will listen to them if they tell them to follow traffic rules, like wearing a helmet while riding a bike, not moving in the opposite direction on a road where it is not allowed, and not driving in a state of intoxication and so on. This way they would get respect from people and at the same time make a living.”
According to the source, they will not be regular employees of the police department, though their services would be utilised by the department in providing public services like traffic management which has taken a hit over a period of time.
Elaborating on the proposal, the source added, “The traffic police, over the last one and half decades, have not been showing much interest in traffic management. This is because of the presence of CCTV cameras and the use of cell phones which make it difficult for them to collect bribes from those who violate traffic rules.”
“Do you see any police on the streets when there is heavy rain? You see the staff of the other departments and not the police. We hope that with the deployment of the transgender persons, the problem could be solved to a very large extent,” the source said.
They claimed that in independent Indian history, transgender persons have so far not got the respect they deserve. “If they are trained properly and if the chief minister’s idea works, they might grow into a very efficient contingent in traffic management. Who knows, they might, on the Independence Day, be part of the parade and take the salute of the DGP and chief minister,” the source said.
They added that more than anything, the government wants to give them the respect and dignity they deserve. “This is an idea. We have to put it to work to see how it is going to pan out,” he said.
The government intends to train the transgender persons who are recruited in traffic management before deploying them on traffic duty.
Their main job is management and assisting the police. Their presence on the roads is intended to be a deterrence to those who violate traffic rules. They may not have any powers to fine those who break laws or take action but only ensure compliance with traffic rules.
“The transgender traffic-support troops aim to ensure smoother road management while empowering an underrepresented community with stable government employment. The initiative is not only unprecedented in India but is also a global first,” the CMO said in its message.
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula.)
