The decades-old wireless communication system of the Uttar Pradesh Police is set for a complete technological overhaul. From now, a beat constable or a sub-inspector will be able to connect with any police station, outpost, or a police vehicle within their district with their hand-held wireless sets. And so can police stations or outposts connect seamlessly with each other. Earlier, hand-held wireless sets and static wireless systems used by the state police could operate only within a radius of 1 and 3 km, respectively. To begin with, the project will be rolled out in the Lucknow police commissionerate from Tuesday night and will next be implemented in Mathura, given the large crowds the city handles during temple visits. Until recently, wireless connectivity within the police force was limited. Patrolling officers carrying hand-held sets, officials in vehicles fitted with static sets, and police outposts could not communicate directly with each other—or even with the district control room — during emergencies or routine duties. Even the DGP headquarters and Home Department control rooms in Lucknow had no direct access to police stations or field units, relying instead on the district control room to relay messages. While senior officers such as the SSP or police commissioner could connect to police stations from their offices, they were unable to reach field units directly. Now, the UP Police Telecom Department has strengthened the wireless spectrum by installing new towers (repeaters) and replacing old wiring in existing police station towers. The upgrade enables all hand-held and static wireless sets to remain connected across the network —linking police stations, officials, and control rooms at the DGP headquarters, Home Department, and district level. The upgrade allows the police commissioner or SSP to address all personnel—from senior officers to beat constables — simultaneously on a common frequency, ensuring faster and clearer communication. Speaking to The Indian Express, Director General of UP Police Telecom Headquarters, Ashutosh Pandey, said the Lucknow commissionerate is now fully equipped with the new system. “Our 10 dedicated teams worked continuously for over two months to identify strategic locations for installing repeaters and replacing old wiring,” he said. Eight single-frequency ‘mesh repeaters’ have been installed at high-rise sites across Lucknow, extending communication for hand-held sets up to 33 km and static sets up to 34 km. As part of the upgrade, the department also replaced decades-old wiring in towers at all police stations in the city, which has dramatically improved voice quality. “Earlier, there was about 70% transmission loss. After the replacement, it has been reduced to just 8%. This is the first such upgrade in the state,” Pandey said. With this, 623 static wireless sets, 1,142 hand-held sets, and 95 wireless sets in police vehicles in the Lucknow commissionerate are now integrated into the enhanced network. The jurisdiction covers 54 police stations and outposts. “The police wireless network is the safest mode of internal communication, as no outsider can tap or hack it,” Pandey said, adding that while mobile phones became available after 2000, connectivity issues in remote areas often caused delays in communication, forcing reliance on the district control rooms. “This enhanced system will ensure smoother, faster communication.” According to the DG, the strengthened spectrum will not only improve coordination among police units but also significantly reduce response time in law and order situations, SOS calls, and crime incidents. For nearly 50 years, UP Police had been operating with the same outdated wireless setup—though the first wireless set was introduced during the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 1938, and radio communication was used during the Quit India Movement in 1942 in Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, and Ballia. The current upgrade marks the most significant modernisation of the force’s communication system since then.
