New broom sweeps central police stns

MUMBAI, JUNE 15: Police stations in the city's central region are on a new trail, chasing crooked cobwebs, garbage heaps and paan-stained...

MUMBAI, JUNE 15: Police stations in the city8217;s central region are on a new trail, chasing crooked cobwebs, garbage heaps and paan-stained walls. This week, an ambitious cleanliness and beautification competition8217; will kick off in the region8217;s 17 police stations, considered among the filthiest and worst maintained in the city.

The central region, ranging from Byculla to Vile Parle, comprises zones III, IV and VIII. The police personnel have been given a time frame of six months to clean up their act. Also part of the campaign is a competition, wherein the cleanest and most beautiful8217; police station in the region will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 5,000, Additional Commissioner of Police in the central region, K L Prasad told Express Newsline.

The campaign hopes to erase the all-too familiar image of police stations as dirty dens with peeling walls and ceilings, rusty and noisy ceiling fans, garish plastic chairs and badly lit rooms. While police stations in Malabar Hill, Cuffe Parade,Bandra and Oshiwara are said to make the cleanliness grade, stations like Worli, Dharavi and RAK Marg are counted among the filthiest.

Dharavi, for one, is a chawl-like structure, complete with wooden stairs and broken benches, which sits snug among a clutter of grocery and leather shops. And visitors to the RAK police station, located on the ground floor of the Lower Income Group housing board8217;s building, have to clutch handkerchieves to their noses to block out the putrid smell emanating from a nearby urinal. Hardly an atmosphere for healthy working, let alone crime detection. The only exceptions in the central region are the Byculla, Dadar and Kala Chowkie stations.

8220;We are going to plant saplings in the compounds, clean up the premises, renovate the furniture and change everything about the set-up,8221; promised Prasad. Soon after taking charge last week, Prasad convened a meeting of the 17 senior police inspectors in the region and handed them a questionnaire on various aspects of functioning of theirrespective police stations, including the look and surroundings. Not surprisingly, cleanliness nudged out the rate of crime detection as a priority issue. Senior police inspectors used adjectives like good8221;, very good8217; and average8217; to describe their workplaces.

8220;A clean and healthy atmosphere will definitely boost the morale of the policemen,8221; observed Prasad. The project has been welcomed by the three Deputy Commissioners of Police within the central region. 8220;It is for the first time that we have heard of cleanliness of police station premises being emphasised. The campaign will go a long way in encouraging our staff to serve citizens better,8221; commented a DCP.

Prasad also clarified that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC will have nothing to do with the campaign. 8220;We will definitely not seek help from the BMC. Instead, we will rope in philanthropists or private sponsors for the purpose,8221; he said.