The idea of a police station used to bring to mind a picture of a dingy, intimidating building with peeling paint, paan stains and men in khaki spilling out of the small building. However, this image is changing rapidly in Hyderabad as new spacious buildings are popping up where old chowkis used to be.
With the establishment of new model police stations equipped with officials trained in soft skills to deal with grieving victims, citizens can now notice a drastic change in policing.
The police staff also share that they feel more positive working in spaces with more breathing room and better amenities.
‘Felt at ease’
Anita Krishna, 34, a mother of two, says she felt at ease when she visited the women police station to complain about a theft.
“It was the first time I ever stepped into a police station, and I had to take my eight-year-old daughter with me. I expected an environment similar to what I’ve seen in movies until then, but I was taken aback by the approach of the police personnel and the way they handled petitioners. I was done and out of the office in less than an hour, even though I scheduled an entire afternoon for the job, assuming that I would be made to wait for long,” she says.
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Located on the right side of the Gachibowli Police Station premises, the place also has a colourful indoor play area with toys and rocking chairs for children.
DCP Madhapur K. Shilpavalli says that the aim was to make it child-friendly and also to provide a welcoming atmosphere for complainants.
“We also ensure that the children visiting the police station have a positive opinion towards police and do not shy away from or get scared of approaching the police station. The ambience would be such that it will make both elders and children feel comfortable,” says the DCP.
The outdoor play area will also have seating arrangements for the adults. “The adults watching the kids play also have a place to sit, as the complainant shares her plight,” says Police Inspector S. Sunitha.
Improved amenities
Being a far cry from when there used to be one washroom for the men and women police staff and the visitors, the Karkhana police station in North of Hyderabad now has eight washrooms in its new four-storeyed building.
Karkhana is among the many police stations in the city which relocated to a better and more accessible area with improved facilities, be it better infrastructure, a gymnasium, a command control room or a monitor CCTV feed of the jurisdictions.
Community hubs that promote trust, cooperation
Hyderabad police have undergone a complete transformation, redefining the way citizens interact with law enforcement. These stations not only serve as centres for law enforcement but also act as community hubs, promoting trust and cooperation and inculcating a sense of belonging.
Sub-Inspector (SI) Avinash Saladi from Karkhana police, who served in the old building before the station moved into a newer complex, says that the change resulted in better time management and hassle-free policing.
“In the new building, each SI has his or her own workstation with a seat for the complainant to share their plight. A well-trained receptionist is also available to help them with queries and guidance”Avinash Saladi Sub-Inspector, Karkhana police,
“If there were three SIs, only two of them could be seated at a time in the old building. The lack of breathing space, room for movement, and waiting areas for complainants was among the many issues. In the new building, we have an area marked for each one of us to avoid confusion. We also have a counselling room. Each SI has his or her own workstation with a seat for the complainant to share their plight. A well-trained receptionist is also available to help them with queries and guidance,” he says.
“In a sense, the new offices look like IT offices ”Satish GuptaPresident of Vasavi Nagar colony
“In a sense, the new offices look like IT offices when we visit the new building,” says Satish Gupta, president of Vasavi Nagar colony, who visits the station regularly for permissions and other duties.
Women-and-child-friendly
Several of the women police stations in the city have also gotten a makeover. They have a play area for children, and now, books have also been included for them.
The police station at the Gachibowli’s IT corridor is among the stations with child-and-women-friendly premises. It is equipped with facilities like a play area for children and a breastfeeding chamber for petitioners. The officials at the station say that the idea was to make the place welcoming and approachable for women and safe and friendly for children.
Library for petitioners
Every police station in Rachakonda has a mini library for petitioners.
Ram Mohan Rao, 62, who was reading a book on Swami Vivekananda while sitting outside the Neredmet police station to complain about the ₹34,000 he lost to cybercrime, shares how easy it is now to lodge a complaint and track its status.
“In earlier days, visiting a police station used to be a stressful ordeal. We had to approach the constables outside the premises only after analysing their mood and behaviour. Most of us used to be asked to ‘come later’. Now, things are so much different. Had I been a little tech savvy, I could have made this cybercrime complaint from the comfort of my home as I was told that they have an application,” he says.
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Speaking further about the change in policing over the decades, Rachakonda Commissioner D.S. Chauhan says that officials are trained to give top priority to the complainants. “During my college days, a police station used to be a scary sight. People used to be afraid to visit, and the constables used to loiter around the place, painting an intimidating picture. Now, people feel they can easily approach the police personnel.
Change in mindset
While infrastructure-wise change is one part, changing the mindset of the police personnel is another aspect. Sparing a few incidents, in most places, the police personnel are trained to receive the victims and be approachable.
“We are training the personnel on their soft skills as the rough and ready method was going on for ages. Even for me, when a complainant comes to meet, they are the top priority. I’ve had DCP officials wait for me while I talked to petitioners. We also prioritise women and senior citizens. Given a chance, I would personally ask them for feedback and based on that, I would address my staff either during our daily morning teleconference or in person,” says the official.
Sanath Nagar police of Cyberabad, functioning in a building constructed in 2010, is among the few with a library. Inspector M. Muthu Yadav says that the complainants while waiting on the premises, can use the library and also keep the accompanying children engaged. “Being an old building, we do have issues like vehicle parking and a smaller space. But we have four washrooms and two floors for the staffers, which includes resting rooms for the off duty officials,” he says.
Speaking on how the newer and modern building makes a difference in policing, Inspector of Karkhana police, B. Ravinder, says that the atmosphere in which the police work matters a lot. “With a change in the atmosphere, as per the neatness and the place, the working style and approach towards work also change. Earlier, there was no space to eat but now, we have a dining hall. There’s also a record room with nearly arranged files and documents. The staff have barracks and lockers. We have a counselling room for women in distress, and we ensure that they do not face any hassle, says the official.
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Technology-wise, there is a command control room with CC cameras within the station’s limits sending the feed to the screens. There is a conference hall for meeting and training classes, a gym and a badminton court for the staff. Overall, it feels like working in a software company office, he says.
The issue of the lack of awareness among the public about policing and transparency about the changes is also being tackled with time. For example, a person residing in Khairatabad, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Panjagutta police station, was unaware that a new police station for Khairatabad was established until he visited the station.
Speaking more on this, G. Naresh, Inspector of Hussaini Alam police station, which functions in a Nizam-era building, says that the public needs to be sensitised on what a civil matter is and what qualifies as a criminal offence. “There is a misconception among the public that police can do anything. Issues like civil disputes and petty financial matters are often brought to us, and we redirect them to the concerned department. This also shows that the public feels comfortable enough to have the trust and faith in the police, but more awareness on these things is needed, especially in the old city pockets,” says the official.
The residents of Hussaini Alam will be getting a new model police station in the future as the department is said to be looking for a place to shift the premises soon. “With the 80 feet road masterplan, which will take away about 30 percent of this building, we were told that efforts are on to look for a new place to shift the staff into a model police station, which will be spacious and modern. The road will be from Bara Gali till Wazir Ali Mosque.
As these swank police stations become part of the landscape of the city, citizens can hope that policing also improves and becomes more accessible and less intimidating.
