Most cops suffer from stress related problems

Medical profiling of CISF personnel has revealed the shocking truth that the number of troopers suffering from stress-related disorders has doubled in two years. Closer home, Bangalore’s traffic  personnel seem to fare no better, even though no studies have been commissioned to substantiate the tales of rising stress and lifestyle diseases among traffic policemen in the city.

Take the case of 18-year-old Nirmal Talukar for instance. A traffic cop on Brunton Road in the heart of the city, Talukar made his way to Bangalore from Kolkata three months ago, filled with ambition and optimism. Little did he know that he would be complaining about how his ‘dream job’ had completely drained him in just three months.

Talukar’s dream of becoming a successful traffic policeman were shattered after his first encounter with uncouth truck drivers and the so-called elite of the city. “Most car drivers and others on the road vent their frustration at me. They curse me for the diversions they have to take because of the Metro constructions. I feel terrible here as I’m not from Bangalore and have nobody to go to. I find it difficult to reconcile myself to their violent remarks,” says Talukar.

The average on-the-job time for a traffic constable is 12 hours. “I come here at 8am and leave only around 8 in the evening,” says Talukar. For 12 long hours, all Talukar does is stand in the middle of a crossroad and direct traffic from all sides. Is he stressed? “Yes,” comes the reply. He says: “It takes me more than one hour to get to work. Even though I get a one-hour lunch break every day,
I don’t feel like eating. I also feel very scared while standing in the middle of traffic on a daily basis. What if somebody hits me someday?” Talukar, like most traffic police personnel in the city, is also a victim of dehydration and loss of appetite.

“There has been a drastic increase in health problems among traffic personnel. There are many factors that are responsible for this,” says Praveen Sood, ACP, Bangalore Traffic Police.

While on duty, traffic constables are exposed to all kinds of pollution — noise, dust and smoke. They are also especially vulnerable to deafness, tinnitus (a false perception of sound without any corresponding external sound), heart ailments and respiratory disorders.

The situation has progressively worsened. The Metro construction, cricket frenzy and construction of flyovers across the city are a few major culprits. “Wherever there is construction in the city, there will be diversions. And traffic cops are required to manage traffic at these diversion points every day. Even cricket matches nightmares for the Bangalore Traffic Police,” says Sood.

From minor headaches to heart diseases, the traffic police of Bangalore, thanks to their high stress levels, are vulnerable to most stress-related illnesses. According to 21-year-old Manjunath, who has been managing traffic at the Ulsoor junction for the past nine months, “I have developed skin problems because of so much exposure to the sun. There is such a lot of dust and pollution around that I find it hard to breathe. Moreover, my meal times are all haywire.” Apart from an itchy skin and acne, Manjunath also complains of a constant headache on the job and even at home. He says, “I can hear the traffic noise even when I’m at home. I can’t get that noise out of my head.”

Despite the harsh sun and the maddening traffic, these government servants have to put up with a lot even at police stations. “We don’t get our weekly offs ever. While people on the road try to bully us by dropping names and threatening us, our seniors bully us in other ways. They harass us a lot under the umbrella of discipline — the justice department is being unjust,” says Ravi PR, a traffic policeman on MG Road.

“There is no peace at home even while sleeping as I dream of traffic all the time. There is so much mental and physical stress in the job and people still treat us like dirt,” he adds.

“The job’s nature is such that most traffic cops don’t get their weekly offs. They have to report to an accident spot whenever they are asked to. I agree that it only adds to their misery but there is little the system can do about it. However, adequate leave is given to them whenever the system finds it possible. They are also taken for regular medical check-ups and many of them are given preventive medicines too,” explains Sood. “One of the most important aspects of traffic police training is to be patient with the public even if they are in the wrong. We train traffic constables to avoid arguing with the public as it might lead to trouble. The sad part is that nobody complains if the public yells at these men, but if a cop loses it, it becomes a big deal.”