BHUBANESWAR: Odisha police on Thursday submitted a proposal to the state government for bifurcation of Bhubaneswar Urban Police District (UPD) into Bhubaneswar North and Bhubaneswar South.
The UPDs have been proposed to be headed by a DCP each having separate offices keeping one common Reserve Office at Commissionerate Police Headquarters.
At present, the Bhubaneswar UPD comprises seven police zones with 22 police stations besides two traffic police stations.
It has been proposed to keep 11 police stations in each UPD on the basis of contiguity. While Capital PS, Kharvela Nagar PS, Mahila PS, Shree Lingaraj PS, Airfield PS, Airport PS, Balianta PS, Balipatna PS, Badagada PS and Laxmisagar PS are proposed to be kept under Bhubaneswar South UPD, Khandagiri PS, Tamando PS, Jatni PS, Energy PS, Nayapali PS, Mancheswar PS, Sahid Nagar PS, Nandankanan PS, Infocity PS, Chandrasekharpur PS and Chandaka PS will be under Bhubaneswar North UPD.
The proposal was submitted to Additional Chief Secretary of Home Department by ADG (Modernisation).
Sources said bifurcation of Bhubaneswar UPD was necessitated due to increasing population and crimes over the last one decade.
Ever since Bhubaneswar UPD came into existence in 2008, growth of the city has been very rapid with opening of a number of new educational institutions, important medical institutions, commercial hubs, industrialisation along with migration of people and growth of vehicular population.
Over the one decade, crime rates have risen too. As many as 7219 crimes were reported in 2018 as against 4566 in 2008. Registration of vehicles increased from 39,873 in 2008 to 1,06,011 in 2016.
The number of protected persons has also increased from 502 in 2008 to 741 in 2018.
Workload of police also increased manifold in terms of crime prevention, law and order and other arrangements.
“Greater urban spread and population density contributed to increase in organised crime, cyber and economic offences. It is difficult for one DCP to control law and order and oversee security of protectees which is why two DCPs have been proposed.
"Demarcation of each UPD was completed two years ago,” said a senior police official.
Sketch map and financial implications for creation of required 334 different categories of executive posts including one DCP, five additional DCP, 11 ACPs, 12 Inspectors, 32 Sub-Inspectors, 28 ASIs and 94 Constables have been submitted to the Government which is expected to take the final call soon.
Need of the time
UPDs proposed to be headed by a DCP each having separate offices
Bhubaneswar UPD necessitated due to increasing population and crimes over the last decade
Workload of police also increased manifold in terms of crime prevention, law &order
Sketch map and financial implications for creation of required 334 different categories of executive posts submitted to government