Population surge, Mega City Policing Plan prompted Hyderabad police network reorganisation

 The growing population of Hyderabad, a rise in vehicle numbers, and the need for Mega City Policing Plan, was the criteria to reorganise the Hyderabad City Police commissionerate, said Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand at a press meet on Saturday.

It was on April 30 that the Home department issued orders for the reorganisation, which is a major exercise after 1987, when the population was about 25 lakh, followed by a partial reorganisation in 2002. Even after the State bifurcation, and later creation of the new districts too, the City Police’s organisation remained same.

Mr. Anand who explained the process behind the mega exercise, said a reorganisation committee comprising several senior officers worked on the proposals for six months.

It was observed that “the tripled population, burden of work due to law & order issues, festivals, bandobusts, special events, VIP movement, urbanisation, traffic problems, and new road and building infrastructure,” necessitated creation of new zones, divisions and police stations.

The exercise was not easy, and several challenges were the jurisdiction of roads, nullahs, bus stations, and population dynamics posing unequal distribution of work for some police stations, he said.

According to the new Hyderabad City Police map now, the jurisdiction will include seven zones (South East and South West being the addition), 28 divisions and 71 police stations. The Traffic Wing is reorganised into 31 police stations.

The women safety wing also has seven women police stations, located one in each zone, in addition to the SHE teams and the Bharosa centres.

With the overhaul in the organisation, the new specialised units with enhanced staff are Central Crime Station (DD& SIT) with 213 more officers, Cyber Crimes with 148 officers, SHE teams with 77 officers, additional task force units, the Integrated Command and Control Centre, Secretariat Security, Zonal police control rooms, Social media and IT Cell, Traffic Administration unit, and H-Narcotics Enforcement Wing.