A video surfaced online showing Home Guard, Omkar (in pic) allegedly soliciting money from a motorist under the guise of a “gift”. (Special arrangement photo)The Gurugram Police has rolled out a sweeping overhaul of traffic enforcement, mandating body-worn cameras for personnel stopping vehicles, making supervisory officers accountable for extortion by their staff and introducing computerised duty rotations every 60 days.The measures follow the arrest of a Home Guard, Omkar, on November 8, hours after a video surfaced online showing him allegedly soliciting money from a motorist under the guise of a “Diwali gift”. The new directives were issued by Commissioner of Police Sibash Kabiraj on Tuesday as part of a zero-tolerance framework for extortion and misconduct on city roads.Body cameras made mandatoryThe most immediate change hits ground inspections. Traffic personnel are now barred from flagging down any vehicle without an active, functioning body-worn camera. Every challan must be issued strictly under camera surveillance, with any violation attracting departmental proceedings.“Operating without a body camera is no longer an option,” said Gurugram Police spokesperson Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar. “Challans must be issued under full camera surveillance. This ensures transparency and protects both the commuter and honest personnel.”Supervisory officers to face heatIn a departure from past practice, accountability will no longer stop at ground-level constables or auxiliary staff. If any traffic officer, Home Guard, or Special Police Officer is caught demanding money, the Zonal Officer and Traffic Inspector concerned will face departmental inquiry for supervisory failure.Also Read | Rs 20-crore homes, anti-smog guns and sprinklers: How Gurugram’s rich are battling toxic airDeputy Commissioners of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police have conducted zonal meetings with supervisory officers in this regard.“Supervisors must actively manage their deployment zones,” ASI Kumar said. “If an official under their watch indulges in corrupt practices, the Zonal Officer and Traffic Inspector will be held accountable.”Story continues below this ad60-day rotationsTo prevent personnel from establishing extortion networks through long tenures at high-volume intersections, the department has introduced an automated duty-allocation system. Postings will now rotate every 60 days through randomised computer software.“Prolonged deployment at a single post creates familiarities that invite irregularities,” ASI Kumar said. “The 60-day computerised rotation will keep duty allocations impartial and curb arbitrary assignments.”Also Read | Gurugram, Noida step up border checks ahead of BS-VI vehicle curbs in DelhiACP-rank officers have also been directed to maintain real-time monitoring of CCTV feeds across major junctions to identify unauthorised vehicle detentions and suspicious personnel conduct.“Citizens are urged not to comply with illegal demands; we ask motorists to immediately report any extortion attempts or unauthorised stops to ensure swift disciplinary and legal action,” ASI Kumar stressed.Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers so... Read More Tags:Gurugram Policetraffic