Will policemen be able to shed khaki?

LUDHIANA: By taking a cue from the rest of the world, after a century and a half, the Punjab Police had decided to change the way it looked and had come up with a proposal to change its uniform.
A proposal to this effect had come up after a report prepared by ADGP, Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, G S Aujla was submitted a year ago to the then DGP, Punjab Police.
Ever since, it has been gathering dust in the files of the state police head office.
It seems that the dream of Punjab policemen of ever wearing any colour other than khaki would never be realised. Director general of police A A Siddiqui blamed it on lack of unanimity on the decision.
Moreover, he said that it would be a huge financial burden on the already resource-crunched force.
The file had been kept pending for the past one year because of these reasons, he added.
The proposal had suggested various alternatives to the existing police uniform.
As the policemen in USA, Canada, Australia and many other developed countries wore blue uniform, the Punjab Police study report said that the Indian khakhi should be done away with and the force should don the fresh blue.
The blue stands out of other options like the UK and many other European countries'' black uniform. This report was submitted to the then DGP, M S Bhullar.
The district-wise survey questionnaire had 16 questions like: would you like a change in the dress code of the Punjab police? Do you think the uniform should be: a) black b) blue c) khaki; should there be a self-reflecting jacket for traffic policemen on night duty? The position of badges, weight of turbans, etc were also part of the questionnaire.
Sources said approximately, 52,000 Punjab Police employees, including 625 gazetted officers of the rank of DSP and above, gave representation of their views of their respective districts through these questionnaires.
The present uniform costs an employee Rs 500 or more, depending on the cloth, while a jacket costs around Rs 700.
Even though the new uniform would mean a huge one-time expenditure on part of the government, sources said that it would certainly help the 26,000-odd SPOs and Punjab Home Guard employees, who do not get a uniform for years together.
While the Punjab Police was to represent the proposal to the state government by the end of last year, it took a backseat due to the huge resources required for the change.
Siddiqui said decision on this proposal would possibly be taken by the end of this fiscal.