New Delhi: “We hope to have a better and healthier workforce with this initiative,” said Mumbai Police Commissioner (MCP) Sanjay Barve, as he inaugurated a sanitary napkin vending machine at the Mumbai Police headquarters. The machine is the first of 140 machines planned to be installed in police stations, throughout the financial capital, as part of the Smart Maitrin Project.

From 12-hour working shifts to unavailability of female toilets at the stations, female police constables have to face various challenges that the general public might not be aware of. Considering these issues, the Mumbai Police came up with a one of a kind initiative, the Smart Maitrin (female friend in Marathi) Project, which according to the senior police officers, is a welfare initiative for its female personnel.

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With the aim to empower the female constables during their menstrual cycle, the project was kicked off with installation of the machines at the headquarters of the Mumbai Police on Monday (April 8). The Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve and his wife along with the Joint Commissioner of Police Ashutosh Dumbare and his wife; Deputy Commissioner of Police Niyati Thaker and Deputy Commissioner of Police N. Ambika, inaugurated the installation of first sanitary napkin vending machine.

The Smart Maitrin project has been initiated in collaboration with the NGO Maitrin and is the flagship mission of the MCP Mr. Barve.

Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP Manjunath Singe informed that in addition to the sanitary pad vending machines, incinerators will also be installed in the police stations throughout the city for the proper disposal of used sanitary pads.

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Mr. Singe stated,

We have finalised 140 spots under our commissionerate where the installation work of these machines has already begun.

The step comes after a slew of measures adopted by the Mumbai Police in the last few years, for the welfare of their female constables. In 2015, zonal DCPs began holding monthly meetings with women personnel in their respective zones, to allow them to air their grievances.