Mysore/Mysuru: The third and fourth new Police Stations of the total four sanctioned for Mysuru city were inaugurated by Mayor Shivakumar and MLA L. Nagendra this morning.

The Police Stations are Devaraja Law and Order Police Station and Devaraja Traffic Police Station, adjacent to the newly constructed Ambedkar Bhavan on Krishna Vilas Road. Though the two Police Stations are separate, they will function from the same building. While the ground floor of the new building will house Devaraja Law and Order Police Station, the first floor will house Devaraja Traffic Police Station.

Built at a cost of Rs. 3.20 crore, the building has all the modern amenities, sections for Policemen and exclusive chambers for Inspectors and equipped with latest gadgets to track criminals and communicate with other Police Stations.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra was scheduled to inaugurate the facilities today. The Mayor and the MLA dedicated the building in the absence of the Minister.

 The other two new Police Stations are the recently inaugurated Alanahalli Police Station adjacent to Bannur Road near Devegowda Circle, which has been built at a cost of Rs. 2.15 crore and the Hebbal Police Station behind the Public Library near Kuvempu Circle on Hebbal Main Road, built at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.15 crore.

Speaking after inaugurating the Devaraja Civil and Traffic Police Stations, Mayor Shivakumar said that the present-day Policemen have become public-friendly unlike in the past where people dreaded to go to a Police Station.

“Earlier, the role of Policemen was just to catch and punish the criminals and also fill the Government treasury with penalties collected. Now their roles have changed and they have become friendly and at the same time, they are ensuring law and order,” he said. 

The Mayor suggested to the Police to organise Police-resident meetings in various localities of the city frequently to really understand the ground realities and the actual problems faced by the people.

MLA L. Nagendra said that two more new Police Stations will be sanctioned to Mysuru city and he was in talks with the State Government for funds. “Facilities like new buildings, technological equipment and infrastructure will increase the efficiency of the Police,” he added.

City Police Commissioner B. Ramesh said that his team was effectively implementing the traffic rules across the city to bring in a sense of discipline. “If one follows the traffic rules, 50 percent of the accidents are reduced and it will prevent loss of lives of innocent commuters. Public must join hands with the Police to make roads safer,” he added.

Karnataka Exhibition Authority Chairman Mirle Srinivas Gowda, Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited (MPVL) Chairman Raghu R. Kautilya, DCPs M. Muthuraj and S. Jhanavi, ACPs Gajendra Prasad, Shanthamallappa, Parashuramappa, S.E. Gangadharaswamy, Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors were present.