Hyderabad police issues order to employ queue managers

Hyderabad: Hyderabad police commissioner M. Mahender Reddy on Sunday issued an order to managements of establishments to employ queue managers to control crowds under Section 22 of the Hyderabad City Police Act.

According to top cops, indiscipline of crowds gathering at cinema halls, bus stands, malls, shopping complexes, religious places, educational institutions, industrial fairs and exhibitions, food outlets, wine shops, ATMs, business outlets and so on, were affecting law and order and traffic flow in the city.

Officials say that quarrels, picking pockets and other offences take place when people crowd instead of queueing. “Chaos happens at wine shops when people flock and there is no queue. It looks like as if a raid is happening there. Due to the crowd formation, when it reaches the road it causes traffic jam. Same problem happens at RTC bus stands,” said Mr Mahender Reddy.

Punishment for ‘Q’ breakers
As per the order, local station house officers of both traffic and law and order police have started efforts to identify specific places to enforce the law. The order says that the management of establishments should make sure a queue is formed and customers do not cause chaos.

“Whoever violates this order will be punished under Sections 188, 290 and 290 and 109 of the IPC and under Section 76 of the Hyderabad City Police Act,” said the order. The commissioner said they expect the order to get enforced slowly. “It will not happen in one day. This is a culture building process that needs time,” he said.

Senior RTC officials said they would cooperate with the police and would take help from traffic cops in all areas to promote the queue culture at major bus stations. They said that they are yet to take an official decision on whether to employ a new person for the purpose.

Most wine shop owners said they would display a board in front of their shops and will sell liquor only to those who are in the queue.