Date:06/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/06/stories/2006050607200600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Police Commissionerates in five more A.P. cities

Special Correspondent

Law and order problems and increase in traffic led to new set-up

HYDERABAD: The cities of Warangal, Guntur, Rajahmundry, Tirupati and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh will be made urban police districts shortly and each will be headed by a Commissioner as in the case of Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.

These cities have been upgraded into municipal corporations but their present police set-up, headed by a Superintendent of Police, is not commensurate with the increased problems of law and order, crime and traffic, said Home Minister K. Jana Reddy on Friday.

Speaking to The Hindu here, Mr. Reddy said the upgradation of Warangal, Rajahmundry, Guntur, Tirupati and Kurnool into urban police districts, which was long overdue, was delayed due to lack of budget. "Things are alright now. The proposals will now take shape."

A senior police official said these cities would have a strong policing system with separate wings to look after law & order, crime and traffic. The Commissioners would be equipped with magisterial powers, now confined to Collectors.

The Home Minister dispelled apprehensions that the tribal police battalion, being formed with tribal boys with Sattupalli in Khammam districts as headquarters, would be used exclusively to combat naxalites.

Notification

Mr. Jana Reddy said the Government had confined the 15 Battalion to tribals with a view to giving them employment opportunities and removing the ill-feeling among them that it was doing nothing for the tribals. Age, educational qualification and physical fitness parameters would be relaxed for them. The notification for the mass recruitment would be issued shortly.

Mr. Reddy said a new force named "Marine Police" would come into existence soon to guard the State's 930-km-long coast against smuggling and other illegal activities.