Thane Police hopes to install more such machines in public places.
Paving the way for a more sensitive workplace, the Thane police in Maharashtra have installed a sanitary napkin vending machine at the traffic police headquarters in the city.
Initiated by Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Police in Thane Dr Rashmi Karandikar, the machine has been brought in for the convenience of women traffic personnel. Around 1,300 women work for the department.
"Women police constables work round the clock and could end up needing a sanitary napkin at any time during duty hours. I am glad that the vending machine has been installed," said a woman traffic police constable.
The vending machine was inaugurated on Wednesday by Thane's Joint Commissioner of Police Asutosh Dumbre and actor Sonali Kulkarni.
"It is worrying that even to this day we don't talk about topics like periods in public. This awkwardness about the subject must be stopped and that is our responsibility. I applaud the Thane Traffic Police branch for installing a sanitary napkin vending machine," said actress Sonali Kulkarni.
From 1960, when a person was beaten up for promoting the usage of sanitary napkins in the city, its accessibility has come a long way, Thane Joint Commissioner of Police Asutosh Dumbre said.
But this is just the beginning, the Thane police department said. Going forward, more such machines will be installed in public places like Railway stations, colleges and schools across the city, the police said.