MUMBAI, 26 October 2007 — In an affidavit submitted to the Bombay High Court, Joint Police Commissioner Hemant Karkare admitted that police had constructed 269 outposts illegally in the city.
Karkare, however, said the police would apply to the Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation for regularization of the outposts and would demolish them if permission was denied.
The court ordered the principal secretary at the Home Department to inform it how many such illegal outposts existed in the state besides those in the city.
The petitioner, I.K. Chhugani, who filed the Public Interest Litigation said the outposts were constructed through donations from businessmen and real estate developers and also complained that electricity to these outposts was taken illegally from nearby shops or through “other” sources.
Karkare told the court that out of 388 police outposts in the city, 119 had been regularized by the civic body. He admitted that 269 outposts had been constructed illegally and 52 of them were built through donations by sponsors whose names were displayed on the outposts. If permission for regularization is denied, the police would demolish the outposts and remove the names of sponsors within a month, he said.
Karkare said there was need for more police outposts so that police could reach people immediately in case of incidents.
In Pune, several police stations, traffic outposts, and general police outposts have been constructed illegally. Wanworie police station has constructed its branch on a piece of land belonging to UCO bank. Despite regular reminders police authorities have not vacated the premises.
Another police outpost on the Pune-Solapur Road, Hadapsar Traffic outpost, has been constructed on land belonging to the state Irrigation Department. Despite several legal notices to the police to vacate it, nothing has been done. Power to this illegal outpost is also sanctioned through dubious ways.
