Two traffic constables, in different uniforms, keep a watch on the vehicle movement in Mango. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, Dec. 8: Blue trousers and white full-sleeve shirt is the official attire for the city?s traffic police. But a section of them are being forced to wear the customary khaki, as the department is yet to provide them with the official uniform.

Ironically, more than 240 metres of blue and white cloth meant for the uniforms are lying in the storeroom of the Police Lines in Golmuri for quite some time now.

?It is the new recruits inducted into the traffic department who are yet to get their uniform,? sources in the district police informed The Telegraph.

The department bigwigs apparently did not have the time to issue orders.

?It is mandatory for the constables to be on duty in their official uniform. But what can these new recruits ? about 25 of them ? do if the concerned authorities do not provide with the clothes?? a police official said. Each traffic police jawan is supposed get two sets of dress under the rules.

After being deployed in the department, some of the new recruits had approached their superiors requesting for uniforms. But they were told to ?join duty and the dresses will follow?.

F.K.N. Kujur, the deputy superintendent of police (traffic) admitted some of the constables were yet to be handed over their official dress.

?I issued orders a few days ago to the Sergeant Major to hand over the dress to the recruits. We will provide them with official uniform as soon as possible,? assured a senior police official.

The new dress code for the traffic police was implemented in the city two years ago, when Arun Oraon was the district police chief. At that time, there were 30 traffic constables and all of them had got their dress.

The strength of the traffic personnel has since swelled to 65.

?It clearly shows how serious the department is about streamlining its activities. We have stopped requesting for the dress since it is in vain,? said a recruit.

Meanwhile, department insiders say some of the constables with two sets of the uniform are demanding for more.

Kujur claims the department cannot do much about it. ?We have to go by the rulebook and we are allowed to give only two sets. It is up to the state government to take a decision on the issue,? the deputy superintendent of police said.