Date:19/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/19/stories/2008081961100400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Police team from city to visit Singapore

Special Correspondent

37 police officers selected for one-month training there

The police will study traffic management
Singapore has adopted latest technology

BANGALORE: A few days after the announcement of a farmers’ tour to China for studying adoption of farm technologies there, the State Government has decided to despatch a team of 37 police officials of Bangalore to Singapore for a training programme in the management of traffic.

In another official tour, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa accompanied by Cabinet ministers and officials will be leaving for the U.S. next week to attend fifth World Kannada conference organised by Association of Kannada Kootas of America (AKKA) from August 29 in Chicago.

Traffic management

Home Minister V.S. Acharya told presspersons here on Monday that the police team comprising officials of higher and middle ranks would be leaving for Singapore shortly to undergo training in the management of traffic. Singapore was an ideal city to undergo training since Bangalore had some similarities with it in terms of urban geography, vehicle and population density.

The Singapore Government had adopted latest technologies for the management of traffic in that City State. The training programme would help the police gain hands-on experience in traffic management.

Nearly 1,000 new vehicles are being registered in the city daily. Narrow and congested roads and high vehicle density were causing traffic jams on several roads in the city. However, the road-widening works would continue as usual in the city, he said.

Dr. Acharya said a police team, which was investigating the recent blasts in the city, has got some leads and it was closely working with the Gujarat police and Central intelligence forces for more clues.

On whether it would send a team to Gujarat to gather more clues following the arrest of the mastermind and his associates in the Ahmedabad blast, the Home Minister said a team left for Ahmedabad on Monday.

Asked whether the Indian Mujahideen, a radical version of SIMI, could be behind the recent blasts in Bangalore, he said: “We are corroborating various telephone numbers and evidence to nab persons behind the blasts in the city.”

Security to dams

The Government proposed to step up security at vital installations in the State such as dams and power stations. A meeting of Water Resources and Home departments would be convened soon to take a decision on better security at the power stations and dams, he said.