Come 2013, the Madurai city police will expand its operations to the limits of the Madurai corporations. Suburban locations will benefit in terms of more visible policing, patrolling and crime prevention.
Landmarks such as the High Court and the Thiruparankundram Temple are expected to fall within the jurisdiction of the Madurai City Police. These are currently within the Madurai District Police limits.
The proposal to extend the jurisdiction of the police was given the nod at the recently held Chief Minister’s conference.
Madurai Corporation, which is the second largest after the Chennai Corporation, had expanded its territory from 72 to 100 wards recently. With this, the local bodies have 28 new wards incorporated in its fold and Mayor V.V. Rajan Chellappa now presides over council meetings with 100 elected councillors.
Some of the wards in the Koodal Pudur, Oomachikulam, Othakadai, Karupayoorani, Silaiman, Avaniapuram, Thiruparankundram and Tirunagar which fall within Madurai District police limits, are likely to be attached with to the Madurai City Police.
Though the proposal to expand the Madurai City Police was in the air for some months, it got official clearance only last week.
Inspector General and Commissioner of Police Sanjay Mathur said that the expansion would mutually benefit the public and police.
The strength of the police in relation to law and order, crime and traffic management would increase proportionately. With adequate personnel available at all levels (constables, Sub-Inspector, Inspector, DSP), maintenance of law and order would be more effective.
Crime prevention and detection will also improve. From a long term perspective, crime prevention would be the priority. Traffic police will be augmented to reduce road fatalities, Mr. Sanjay Mathur told The Hindu .
Oomachikulam police station, once considered off the city limits, is now surrounded by a large number of residential properties, schools, colleges, hospitals and other establishments. At least a third of its jurisdiction would fall under the Madurai City Police after the expansion. Similarly, Thiruparankundram, Anaiyur, Tirunagar, Karupayoorani and Avaniapuram police stations too would give its share to the city police. The exact wards which had been covered from the respective Municipality/Town Panchayat and Panchayat would be studied and accordingly the change in jurisdiction would be given effect, a Corporation of Madurai official said.
The present strength of police at the station levels would be re-worked on the lines of heavy, medium and light. Under this arrangement, the heavy stations would get more than 100 policemen at its disposal. In the expansion exercise, both the Madurai District Police and Madurai City Police are expected to get their vacancies filled up and additional strengths sanctioned.
Currently, an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police is the executive of the entire Madurai district. After the expansion, an officer of the rank of Inspector General would be heading the team with least five to six officers of the rank of SP under him. This would be a major highlight of the exercise and benefit public as well, G. Jaisingh Thiagaraj, a retired DCP said.
Another retired officer suggested that the police department could consider demarcating the portfolios for the DCPs (Deputy Commissioners of Police) along the lines of Chennai City Police. Instead of having a DCP for law and order, for crime and for traffic, they could entrust all the wings to a single DCP. There could be a DCP (North Madurai), DCP (South Madurai), DCP (Central Madurai) and so on. Also, the ratio of police to public would improve.
