Women to drive PCR vans in City

The Delhi Police are mulling to induct women drivers for the PCR vans soon. According to officials, 20 women constables have been shortlisted for the task who were selected from a new batch of 255 women personnel.

Delhi Police officials said initially the women drivers would drive around in the New Delhi district zone and later, their service would be extended to other parts of the city also. The women PCR drivers would drive the vans only in day, a Delhi Police official added.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (PCR), R K Singh, the idea came to his mind when a group of woman PCR staff expressed their desire to drive the van.

“A group of woman constable came forward and expressed their desire to become driver in the PCR van some time back. We thought about it and have decided to conduct a trial of the women constables after Diwali. Upon their performance we will decide about their suitability for the role as a driver. We might extend the numbers if we get a positive feedback,’’ said Singh.

Currently, the number of women personnel allotted to PCR vans is just 60. The strength will be bolstered with the induction of the 255 constables. Of them, 80 will be given to the PCR call centre and the rest will be on patrol duty.

Induction of women personnel as drivers in the PCR van is expected to give a much needed confidence to the women in the city. After a spate of heinous crimes against women in Delhi, the need to induct more women in public services like law and order and transport was acutely felt.

The plan to have women drivers in the PCR vans has come after a similar move by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to  induct its first woman bus driver in April this year.

With strength of around 1,000 vans, the Delhi Police’s PCR unit manages the patrolling with only 650 vehicles on a given day as rest of vehicles go off the road for maintenance and repair work. Although, few women constables had started to accompany the male staff in PCR vans, the need of having woman as driver was also felt, as according to Police officials it gives a psychological boost to the women victims.