Mumbai: Cops hit upon bright idea to curb crimes, but motorists unimpressed

LED lights atop patrol vehicles light up some 200 m of roads in the city; motorists complain of being momentarily blinded by them and they warn that they may cause accidents

Let the police dazzle you with their brainchild to curb crime. They have begun installing bright emergency LED lights atop police vehicles to indicate the presence of patrol teams in the area, and thereby, warn potential criminals. These can light up a 200-m range on open roads.

Around 200 police vehicles have been fitted with the powerful lights. Pics/Shadab Khan

Impressed? Wait, there’s more. Police officials say these lights are unbreakable, turning them invincible in riot-like situations, are built to last and offer high power savings. The Mumbai Police, however, is not the first to introduce these lights. Several police units across the country, including Delhi, have already dabbled with the idea.

However, the police’s plan of reassuring citizens of adequate protection has not gone down well with motorists. The lights are allegedly blinding motorists momentarily. Many motorists warn that these bright lights could cause accidents.

Vishal Yadav, a biker from Kandivli, said from a distance, the lights pose no problem. “But as one nears these police vehicles, the bright lights hit the eyes, causing temporary loss of vision. This can cause accidents. The lights should be dimmed,” he suggested.

Police, though, claimed that the lights are not that bright that they can cause temporary blindness.

A senior police officer said the bright lights will allow police patrol teams to cover large areas and serve as a warning to potential criminals/miscreants. “Proper rules and regulations have been followed in installing these lights. The lights blink continuously. So, there is no chance of accidents being caused by it.”

Police officials said the emergency lights are being installed in a phased manner since May. Over 200 police vehicles have been equipped with it. “Our target it to install lights on at least two vehicles from each police station. Over 500 vehicles will be covered. The work will be completed over the next two months,” said a police officer.

But, the shelf life of these lights is already under a cloud. Sources say some of the lights installed just a month ago have gone kaput.

— With inputs from Vijay Kumar Yadav

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