After MP, compulsory weekly off for UP police

Lucknow:In a major reprieve to the over-stressed police personnel, Uttar Pradesh government announced "compulsory" weekly off to the men in uniform starting from Friday, a police official said.The initiative, as a pilot project began from Ayodhya district. Now police personnel will get full 24 hour leave every week.

With lack of staff and increased work load, the police officials were often not granted weekly leave. According to several studies, irregular leave and odd working hours were a major cause of stress levels and health issues among policemen.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ayodhya Ashish Tiwari said the initiative was implemented in Ayodhya from Friday."We have commenced it from Kotwali police station for the constables. If the policy clicks, then in the next phase we will introduce it for the sub-inspectors and other officers," the SSP said.

Sources said that the weekly off would be implemented in such a way that there was no shortage of police personnel at the police stations.

Earlier, a similar pilot project of weekly off to police personnel up to the rank of sub-inspector was launched in several districts including Kanpur, Barabanki and Lucknow. However, it could not be implemented successfully and was thus stopped.(UNI)