Traffic Cops Brave Floods Without Gear

HYDERABAD: As monsoon showers continue to lash Hyderabad, a silent hardship plays out on the city’s waterlogged roads—traffic policemen standing for hours in flooded junctions, many of them without proper footwear, some even barefoot.

A video that recently surfaced on platform X captured a traffic constable managing a heavily flooded intersection barefoot, wading through murky water to guide stranded commuters. The image struck a chord, highlighting the unseen struggles of the very people who keep the city moving during chaos.

At several key junctions, including near Secunderabad railway station and Uppal, traffic personnel were found standing in ankle-deep water, directing vehicles amid a mix of rainwater and overflowing drains. In these areas, the flooding was severe, and the lack of adequate gear only made things worse.

“We have been out for hours. Our shoes get soaked within minutes, and continuing to wear them increases the risk of fungal infections,” said a traffic cop stationed near Secunderabad railway station, glancing down at his bare feet. While some officers carried slippers as a stopgap, many were seen standing barefoot in the slush.

Not many constables from the city traffic police admitted to lacking proper footwear for the rains. An official from the Banjara Hills traffic police station confirmed that most of them were not provided with the appropriate protective gear. “Some did not get shoes and only got raincoats. We have had several reshuffles in the past few months, due to which, we could not provide the protective gear to a lot of them,” the official said.

While traffic personnel under Hyderabad and Rachakonda police districts reported not receiving new gear this season, those in Cyberabad said they were issued monsoon kits three months ago, including raincoats, umbrellas and Crocs. But even that came with limitations. “It’s not perfect. Stones keep getting into the crocs, and we have to keep emptying them. Still, they’re better than nothing,” said a KPHB traffic officer.

However, scientifically, Crocs can only be a backup and not an ideal footwear for field work during the rains. They do not offer great traction on wet tiles, especially in the presence of oil and slush, and might not be very effective near traffic signals. They also do not offer efficient grip in case of moving water, as against the ideal closed, waterproof gumboots or tactical boots.

Even as the city battles monsoon fury, its traffic cops carry on—quietly enduring soggy socks, blistered feet and sometimes the bare ground beneath them—ensuring Hyderabad keeps moving, one step at a time.