Cops of the state force in uniform and (right) an artist’s impression of the new uniform

Cops on the city fringes are set to shed their 150-year-old khaki uniform to don Mamata Banerjee’s favourite colour combination: blue and white.

The state home department last week decided on the switch, to be implemented at Bidhannagar, Howrah, Barrackpore, Asansol and the proposed Siliguri commissionerates, as part of an image makeover. The Siliguri commissionerate is scheduled to be formed on August 3.

A circular issued by the director general of police, Naparajit Mukherjee, to the chiefs of the newly formed police commissionerates, cops will wear blue cap or turban, white shirt, dark blue trousers, black belt, blue socks and black shoes.

“Policemen below the rank of assistant commissioner (in the five commissionerates) will soon be seen in blue and white,” said additional director-general (organisation) Kuldiep Singh.

Cops have been wearing khaki since the West Bengal police force was formed in 1861, said senior officers.

The change in colour code is the chief minister’s brainchild. “Mamata Banerjee herself chose the new colours. She feels the personnel in the newly formed police commissionerates should have their own identity,” said an official at Writers’ Buildings.

According to officials in the chief minister’s office, about 15,000 cops will get new clothes. The government will have to spend more than Rs 1.5 crore a year to give two sets of uniform to each eligible cop in the five commissionerates.

“The process of implementing the decision has started. A tender will soon be floated to get the clothes, caps and socks,” said a CMO official.

Many senior officers are not convinced about the Writers’ logic behind the switch. Apart from voicing concerns about the force losing its “identity”, an officer pointed out that khaki is more suitable for police work than white and blue.

“Khaki helps to camouflage us during raids at night. Also, the uniform does not look dirty even after working an entire day amid dust and smoke. If a common man sees police officers in dirty white shirts, how will it help our image?” he asked.

In 2011, Himachal Pradesh police had switched from khaki to light blue shirt, dark blue trousers, blue socks and blue cap or turban. The decision was reversed in 13 months.