City could have police stations every 4 kms

In an attempt to improve response rate to crime, the state government has issued new guidelines to be followed while setting up police stations

If the Maharashtra Government's plans bear fruit, cities in the state may soon have police stations every four kilometres and the distance between two police stations would be a maximum of six kilometres in rural areas.



For the first time in fifty years, the state home department has issued guidelines for the setting up of police stations in the state.
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Earlier, there were no guidelines and police stations were being set up based on their requirement and as per requests from the top brass of the police department, stated a resolution by the government's home department.

Explaining the move, Pravin Dixit, Principal Secretary (Special) Law and Order, Maharashtra, said, "As per the government regulation (copy available with this paper) formulated by a committee including then Inspector General Praveen Singh in 1960, in a place where 150 offences are registered, there is a need to have three police head constables.
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However, the committee had not mentioned anything about setting up police stations and hence we decided to introduce the new guidelines."

According to Dixit, the formulation of the guidelines was done after conducting a brainstorming session on March 28 with Home Minister RR Patil, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Umesh Chandra Sarangi, State Director General of Police (DGP) Ajit Parasnis and other senior home and IPS officials.
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"The focus of the session was on improving the law and order situation in the state by setting up posts at close proximity to ensure quick response and better services," said another official from the Home Department.

The plan also emphasises the need of full-fledged police stations at places where VVIPs are residing, huge residential complexes and industrial areas.

The guidelines also state that areas that have witnessed several road accidents and traffic jams need to have separate traffic police stations.u00a0

Similarly, police posts should be set up in areas where electricity theft is rampant and social offences and juvenile offences take place, explained Dixit.

He elaborated that in an attempt to achieve this end, the state home department has formulated a plan of action wherein all unit command heads need to chalk down the various requirements of police stations on the basis of the above guidelines and submit their report to the State Director General of Police, who in turn, will present the same before the home department.

Once the detail report is submitted, the first emphasis would be on using state-owned land for the police stations, failing which officials will look towards private landowners.

91
Number of police stations in Mumbai

1,023
Number of police stations across the state