UP Police script historic new chapter with all-women traffic personnel for 7 cities 


In a landmark move towards gender inclusion, the Uttar Pradesh Police will deploy women personnel for traffic management duties across the state’s seven major cities for the first time, TOI reported.

Approximately 600 women head constables and constables, drawn from the existing civil police force, are set to be inducted following a month-long specialised training programme. The deployment, scheduled to begin in October, will see these officers posted within the police commissionerates of Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Agra and Gautam Budh Nagar.

The initiative, ordered by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is designed to both strengthen traffic regulation manpower and introduce a gender-balanced presence on the state’s roads. Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) K Satya Narayan was quoted by TOI as stating, "Besides strengthening the manpower for traffic regulation, it will introduce a gender-balanced force on city roads for the first time."

The selection process for the new traffic roles is currently underway. According to the ADG, candidates must possess a clean service record, express a willingness to undertake traffic duties and have no behavioural issues. An interview process will also form part of the selection criteria. The first phase will see 13 women head constables and 30 women constables posted in each of the seven commissionerates.

A senior police official was cited by TOI as adding that this initiative brings Uttar Pradesh in line with other major Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Patna, where women already manage traffic crossings. Officials emphasised that the move is both functional and symbolic, aimed at reshaping the public’s interaction with the police force. "For the first time, citizens will see women officers managing crossings, interacting with commuters and enforcing traffic rules. It is both a functional and symbolic step towards modern, inclusive policing," an officer said.

The specialised training for the women personnel is slated to commence in the first week of September. In a parallel expansion of its traffic wing, the state government has also sanctioned the induction of 5,000 male personnel from the civil police. All new inductees, both male and female, will receive training at zonal and commissionerate centres, as state training institutes are currently occupied with newly recruited constables.