Women’s Day Special/From traffic junctions to night patrols, Hyderabad’s women in uniform take the frontline

From crowded traffic signals and arterial roads to late night patrols, Hyderabad’s women in uniform take the frontline

At the busy Kukatpally Y junction on a warm Saturday morning, traffic surged from every direction and in the middle of it all stood a woman traffic constable.

Her hands cut through the air with practised precision, halting one stream of vehicles while ushering another forward. Within moments, the knot of vehicles began to loosen. Vehicles moved in disciplined rows through the intersection, following the rhythm of her gestures.

There was calm in her movements. Even when pulling aside a motorist for a violation, she spoke with a measured smile, explaining the mistake rather than scolding. Around her, horns blared and engines roared, but the junction held its order.

Across Hyderabad, such scenes are no longer unusual. From crowded traffic signals and arterial roads to late-night patrols and complex crime investigations, women police officers are steadily occupying spaces that were once dominated by men.

Telangana women police personnel during the 1st women police conference at RBVRR Police Academy in Hyderabad. | Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

For these women, the shift is no longer symbolic, it is routine.