A female traffic warden on a 250cc motorbike zoomed through a busy intersection on Mall Road. Ignoring several gaping onlookers, she parked her bike near a traffic signal opposite the Punjab Assembly.
At about five foot five with a strong build and an air of confidence, 24-year-old Aroosa Hussain slid off the bike and walked up to a group of reporters waiting to interview her. Her name badge was inconspicuous behind the headscarf, and the steel-grey uniform with loose pants and a full-sleeved top looked as though it would be suffocating in the April heat. “Part of our training is to not feel hot in all the layers we wear,” said Hussain, seemingly undisturbed.
Hussain is one of the seven female traffic wardens who are working as patrolling officers to monitor traffic issues in Lahore. The first batch of female wardens started work in 2008, but they were quickly removed from the roads and deputed to work at the office, reportedly after several instances of harassment.
They have the heaviest motorbikes on the roads right now, it is almost impossible for anyone to chase these wardens. As compared with the earlier batch, they are better trained in terms of confidence and morale. “Earlier, they panicked if they fell off the bike,” said Tasleem Shuja, the manager of safety at Atlas Honda, which trained the wardens for two months. “Now they can counter any mishap on the road with confidence.”
