Inordinate delay in setting up full-fledged police stations at two major places is causing much inconvenience to policemen in carrying out their duties. The police stations at Karamana and Thampanoor lack basic facilities, including a proper building and a lock-up to keep remanded persons and those taken into custody. Both these police stations come under the Thampanoor circle limits.
In fact, that these two stations lack even basic facilities is hard to believe. The Thampanoor police station is situated in a rented building, which belongs to the Railways. As the station covers a very important location, a new building with all facilities has become the need of the hour.
The Karamana police station, which started functioning in 2005 near the Brahmin Street, also functions in a rented building, but it has much fewer facilities than Thampanoor and all its rooms are congested. Space has become a major cause for concern for the police personnel of Karamana station.
The policemen and women say that they find it difficult even to park the vehicles taken into custody as well as their own patrolling vehicles.
The situation of the lock-up is worse. In fact, as the Karamana station lacks the facility, the arrested persons are shifted to Thampanoor police station. Interestingly, in Thampanoor station, many of the arrested persons - both from Karamana and Thampanoor station limits - are made to sit near the duty police officer, instead of locking them up in the cell.
In the Karamana police station, the total strength of the police personnel is 40, including the women cops. Along with the 60 personnel at Thampanoor station, a total of 100 police personnel, from both the stations, have to work under tough conditions. It becomes even tougher for the women in uniform. Though the women cops have a separate room, it lacks basic amenities.
One of the most important issues that the cops at Thampanoor police station face is the water-logging during rains.
‘’Every time there is a downpour, the road in front of the police station goes at least 3 feet under water. Even drain water enters the building,” said Thampanoor circle-inspector Sheen Tharayil.
Admitting that the facilities in Karamana and Thampanoor police stations were poor, the CI said that proposals have already been submitted to higher officials for new buildings. ‘’It is our long-term demand to shift to a new building. We hope for a new building with at least a good lock-up,” he said.