Navi Mumbai police told to make building available for temporary detention centre

The Home department, sources said, had written to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), asking for a building to be used as a temporary detention centre and an open plot to construct a permanent one.

Navi Mumbai Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar. (Express File Photo: Pradip Das)

Months after a detention centre was planned to be set up in Navi Mumbai, the Home department has asked the Navi Mumbai police commissioner to make a building available immediately for setting up a temporary centre.

The Home department, sources said, had written to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), asking for a building to be used as a temporary detention centre and an open plot to construct a permanent one. For the temporary centre, a building given to Savali Foundation, an NGO working for women constables’ welfare, was sought. The NGO was headed by the Navi Mumbai police commissioner, said an official.

Another official said a report by the Navi Mumbai police commissioner suggested some rent be paid for the building, as well as funds for police welfare.

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“On November 30, we asked the Navi Mumbai police commissioner to make the building available immediately for the temporary detention centre. However, the state government has clearly said no rent should be taken for it,” said the official.

The official added that it has also been conveyed that there is no need to give any funds for police welfare either.

An IPS officer said the Navi Mumbai police has expressed willingness to give the building for the temporary centre and that it will be given as soon as possible. “But, this detention centre has no link to the National Register of Citizens (NRC). It is for foreign citizens who are caught by the police for violations of visa norms and who the police want to deport. They can’t be kept in police custody. So, if there is time lag, they will be sent to the detention centre,” the officer added.

An official from CIDCO said the search for land for the permanent detention centre is on.

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