Delhi and its police force need to be considered on a completely different footing: B K Gupta

Interview with former commissioner of Delhi Police

The Delhi High Court recently directed the central government to consider a pay hike for Delhi Police personnel, after constable Babu Lal Mitharwal filed a plea seeking a pay grade on a par with Chandigarh Police. With similar, if not greater, duties, a Delhi Police constable earns approximately 40 per cent less than his Chandigarh counterpart. B K Gupta, former commissioner of Delhi Police, speaks to Manavi Kapur about the dire need to address the grievances of police personnel. Edited excerpts:

Is constable Mitharwal's plea justified? Is this demand echoed across ranks within the Delhi Police?

In my understanding, only about 18 per cent of constables, head-constables and sub-inspectors have access to government accommodation. Senior officers at least save cost in that respect. Junior-level staff end up living in slums, especially in metropolitan cities such as New Delhi where the rentals are so high. Additionally, a lot of officers and constable, because of not being able to afford housing close to their place of work, have to travel long distances. How can their lives be compared to living in a small town like Chandigarh, where, besides a more affordable standard of living, even the travel time is comparatively much less? Delhi and its police force need to be considered on a completely different footing.

In that respect, Mitharwal is completely justified and junior-level staff deserve a higher pay increase. Either they should receive a significant increment or access to government housing schemes - that is something the central government needs to work out.

Does a lower pay grade also create a mechanism for corruption?

Whenever there is a conversation about the efficacy of our police force, the media and commentators are quick to compare it to security forces in countries abroad. If we are making those comparisons, then we must also understand how India has one of the lowest-paid police forces globally. A policeman's is not a ten-to-five job or one that can be measured on the same parameters as a corporate job . They work 14 to 16 hours a day, sometimes even seven days a week. Most of them only get their weekly off once every 15 days. Though they receive a salary for 13 months annually, that is certainly not enough compensation. They are not even paid overtime. A policeman, like any other individual, has to sustain his family. This is not a justification for corruption, but it creates an environment for it to breed.

The Delhi Police has several additional duties. Should it not then be one of the highest paid security forces in the country?

The Delhi Police officials cannot take leaves of absence about 15 days prior to a large and important event in the city. In cases of emergency, their leaves are even cancelled. This broadly means that for nearly four months in a year, they cannot take leave. Almost no official can even utilise his or her full quote of leaves.

It is my simple contention that metro living has to be taken into account while calculating salaries of police personnel. Even Gurgaon is cheaper if you compare it to Delhi's rentals. I recently met a station head officer who would spend the entire week at the police station and meet his family only once. How can you expect them to work efficiently if such basic human needs are not met?

Do you believe that a lower pay grade also affects the psyche and morale of police officials? What can be done to sensitise the public and other authorities so that the personnel is treated with respect?

Cops have a hazardous job. Traffic cops are run over by errant drivers and they become victims of road rage. All beat constables and traffic police personnel are exposed to the vagaries of weather. There is much said about Delhi's hazardous air quality, and yet, no traffic policeman is equipped with proper masks. On an average, a traffic cop, besides other officers, stands on the road for about six hours - a lot of times without a break or even a glass of water. The public and other authorities need to be made aware of this scenario. There is corruption at all levels of the bureaucracy, but we don't turn around and deny them a pay hike on that premise. Why should the honest cops suffer because of this? There needs to be better communication between the two sides to genuinely make a change.