PCR van crash prompts Ahmedabad Police to end 24-hour shifts

Ahmedabad Police have ordered an immediate end to 24-hour duty cycles for PCR van staff after a recent crash in Gota raised concerns about fatigue and safety. Police inspectors have been instructed not to assign continuous 24-hour duty to PCR personnel. If staffing shortages make two 12-hour shifts unavoidable, inspectors must introduce rotation so staff are not stuck on the same schedule indefinitely. The order notes that the earlier system amounted to exploitation, a point that had long gone unaddressed.

Gota accident triggers action

The change follows a late-night incident on November 15, when a newly allotted 112 PCR van, lights flashing, sped down the Gota–Vandematram Road and crashed into about half a dozen parked cars. The accident was traced to the contractor-appointed driver who reportedly fell asleep due to exhaustion. After this, the top brass issued strict instructions that no PCR van should operate with staff working 24-hour shifts.

Under the revised rule, PCR units must follow the same shift pattern as other police wings—three shifts of 6–6–12 hours. If a two-shift system becomes necessary because of a lack of personnel, inspectors must ensure a compulsory 15-day rotation between day and night duties to reduce fatigue and the likelihood of accidents.

Pressure on PCR units amid staff crunch

PCR vans continue to shoulder heavy pressure as the city’s first responders. Some vans have been assigned sensitive halt points under updated protocols. If a PCR team takes more than an hour to reach an incident site, the staff must provide an explanation. With the number of PCR vans rising, police stations are required to divert additional personnel exclusively for PCR duties.

However, severe staff shortages are making shift-wise deployment increasingly difficult. Ensuring constant movement of PCR units across the city has become a logistical challenge for inspectors managing limited manpower.

Vans sent beyond station limits

Since Ahmedabad’s central control room was restructured, PCR vans are frequently dispatched outside their designated police station areas. If a local PCR unit is busy, the nearest available vehicle from another station is sent to respond. While this aims to ensure quicker response times, it often forces drivers to travel up to 25 km from their assigned halt points. Under such circumstances, the earlier 24-hour duty cycle was especially draining for drivers and police staff.

Mixed fleet continues to operate

Across the city’s 50 police stations, PCR vans remain the first to reach the scene of both minor and major incidents. Under the 112 service, Ahmedabad currently operates 93 new PCR vans alongside 30 older ones that have already logged nearly 1 lakh kilometres. In all, 123 PCR vans are deployed across the city, forming the backbone of emergency response.