Arunachal: Itanagar Traffic Wardens Indefinite Sit-In Protest continue, Demand Absorption into Home Guard Cadre
The protest, has gained momentum with families joining in solidarity.
ITANAGAR- 145 Itanagar Traffic Wardens (ITWs) continue their indefinite sit-in protest at the Tennis Court, Indira Gandhi Park, demanding absorption into the newly created Arunachal Pradesh Home Guard cadre.
The wardens—137 men and 8 women—have been on strike since September 24, following years of service as temporary traffic personnel without job security or adequate pay.
Their absence has worsened congestion in Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli, and Yupia, especially with Durga Puja festivities increasing traffic pressure.
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The ITWs, recruited between 2011–2016 and trained at the Police Training Centre in Banderdewa, argue that 145 of the 200 Home Guard posts created under the Arunachal Pradesh Home Guards Rules, 2023, were intended for their absorption. Despite memorandums and repeated assurances, they claim the government has failed to act.
The protest, which began on September 15 and resumed after PM Narendra Modi’s Itanagar visit, has gained momentum with families joining in solidarity. While residents sympathize with the wardens’ demands, many also voice frustration over traffic chaos.
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As of now, the state government has not issued an official response. The wardens, however, remain firm: “We won’t return until our demand for absorption into the Home Guard cadre is met.”
With Durga Puja approaching, the standoff highlights broader challenges faced by contractual workers in essential services, raising questions about long-term policy on regularization.
