26 July,2011 06:38 AM IST | | Saurabh Katkurwar
Navi Mumbai Police are waiting for Home Ministry to allot funds so they may relocate Turbhe police station to a place where cops can do their job without drowning
The Navi Mumbai Police said they need two new police stations to meet the demands of the population flooding the area.
But one look on a rainy day at the existing Turbhe police station, and you know it is not the flood of people, but the flood, literally, that forms the compelling reason to relocate it.
A man has to wade through knee-high water to
enter the Turbhe police station in Navi Mumbai
Even as the satellite city's police consider erecting two more police stations one in Turbhe MIDC and another in Rabale MIDC the existing one in Turbhe cries out for attention.
Submerged in waist-high water, the police station turns into a slush pond, furniture afloat, floor drowned, walls immersed and operations shut to all practical purposes.
It gets submerged in knee-deep water every time it rains in the area, and drowns when it pours relentlessly. It is likely to be relocated, as soon as the Home Department produces the funds for it.
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"We have two options. Either construct a new building at the present location by demolishing the current police station or move it to another place.
We have not finalised anything but a decision will be taken soon," said Deputy Commissioner of Navi Mumbai Police, Purushottam Karad.
The state home ministry is required to provide Rs 1.70 crore to MIDC for reconstructing the station on a new piece of land, preferably one that doesn't turn into a pond in the monsoon.
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But, said a deputy engineer of MIDC who is not authorised to speak to the media, "We are ready with the plan to build the Turbhe police station. But we are waiting for the finances. Since we have not received the funds from the home department, we cannot begin the construction."
Two new stations
Meanwhile, an influx in population in the satellite city has necessitated the creation of two new police stations, police sources said.
"We have asked the MIDC (Turbhe) to provide land for the proposed police stations in Turbhe and Rabale. We need them as the population here is increasing significantly," said Karad.u00a0 Sources said increasing crime rate in the MIDC area is the main reason behind the expansion.
The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has confirmed the proposals of land for police stations.
Dilip Gute, regional officer, MIDC (Turbhe) said, "We had shown the police two sites for the proposed stations. But they said the sites were 'not at the ideal spot'. So now we have offered them lands at different sites which are centrally located in the MIDC area."
MIDC is offering two pieces of land at Re 1 per sq m. "As per our guidelines, we are selling two pieces of land which are 2,000 sq m in area at Re 1 per sq m.
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The Navi Mumbai police are likely to finalise the deal in the next 8-10 days. The process of transferring the land will take another 7-8 days," added Gute.
