BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday directed the Home department to start the process for creation of 2,000 new traffic police posts to deal with increasing vehicular load and road safety in the state.
Taking a late night review on the deteriorating law and order situation, rising road accidents and cyber crime at a high-level meeting here, the chief minister said strengthening the traffic management system is the need of the hour as it plays the most crucial role in road safety. He asked the department to fill up the new posts promptly in the most transparent manner.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of the recent daylight murder of a sanitary supervisor and death of two retired police personnel near Raj Bhavan due to rash driving by a youth. The meeting discussed the law and order situation in the state and various issues plaguing the police department. Three major challenges facing the Odisha police namely rising road accidents, cyber crime and ganja cultivation were extensively discussed.
It was revealed that currently, 2,198 traffic police personnel are working in the state which is too inadequate. The CM ordered for creation of additional 2,000 posts.
He was informed that in 2024, a total of 2,633 cyber crime cases were registered in the state. To combat the hi-tech crime, 14 police stations are currently operational. Considering the situation, the chief minister directed for opening of 20 new cyber police stations in addition to the existing ones, aiming to cover all districts in the state. Moreover, he emphasised strengthening the operational police stations and make them more robust.
Majhi directed the police to take strong measures to prevent ganja cultivation and smuggling in the state. To strengthen crime control in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, he instructed the Twin City police commissioner to intensify night patrolling and law enforcement system in the cities.
The chief minister directed the DGP to pay special attention to the security arrangements in Maoist-affected districts. He also commended the successful cooperation of the state police in various important events and programmes, including the cyclone relief efforts, DG and IG conference, Navy Day in Puri and the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Bhubaneswar.