Bright morning light falls on the sprawling grounds of Police Colony in Dadar’s Naigaon area, where 47 women constables train every day — with bagpipes, drums, drills, and disciplined footwork. Their formidable presence is a rehearsal for what’s to come: Maharashtra’s first all-women pipe band under the Mumbai Police.

The initiative, officials say, is the brainchild of Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti. He officially launched the selection process in May this year. Forty-seven women were selected after a demanding series of fitness tests that measured lung capacity, arm strength, and stamina. The women, aged between 20 and 30, now train twice daily under the guidance of a band expert from the existing male ensemble.