The only firing range that the police have at Thimmapuram is set to be closed shortly to facilitate the upcoming IT City.
The firing range that is being used by the city police, the district police, NCC and paramilitary or Central Armed Police Forces such as the CRPF and the ITBP will be shifted following orders from the government to build a road to the world class IT City proposed in the surrounding area.
The Police Department was allotted about 12 acres on the foothills at Thimmapuram which is being used as a firing range now.
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According to sources, that the government has allotted around 1400 acres for the IT City proposed atop the hills and the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) has already got permission from the Police Department to lay an approach road to the upcoming facility.
Though the Police Department was hesitant initially to accord the permission, they finally did it for the expansion of the IT SEZ at Kapuluppada.
A senior police officer said that if a road was laid the vehicular traffic would increase in the vicinity, making it difficult to have a firing range as all range of weapons including high-power ones such as SLR, AK 47, INSAS 5.56 rifles and MP5 sub-machine guns are used at the range for target practice.
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“At times, even MMG (medium machine guns) are also used, and to run a firing range, we need a larger land in a comparatively secluded location,” he explained.
Confirming the shifting of the range, City Police Commissioner T. Yoganand said that efforts were on to develop a new firing range in Anandapuram area.
“We have approached the revenue officials to allocate a land for the firing range. Once we get the land, a firing range will be developed there,” he said.
New range at Kusalawada
Meanwhile, it’s learnt that around 50 acres at Kusalawada village in Anandapuram mandal has been identified and it is likely to be allotted and developed as a firing range.
Sources said that the identified land was suitable for the purpose as it’s surrounded by hills and away from residential areas.