City to get 600 more constables

Patil admitted that the Pune police was overburdened as it tackled law and order for a population of nearly 60 lakh. “In the past three years,Pune police got 2,100 new staff. Now we are recruiting 15,000 more constables,of whom 600 will be given to Pune police.” 

Patil said people in Pune were generally law-abiding,owing to which the crime rate in the city was less. However,a report on Crime in Maharashtra 2008, released recently by the state CID,ranks Pune second in the number of crimes besides pointing out that the crime rate (crime per one lakh population) is more than that of Mumbai. The report says that the crime rate is 278.6 in Pune and 239.4 in Mumbai.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar,who inaugurated the modernised FOR and control room,lauded the police for the job. “It is encouraging to see the changing face of police department. Developing paperless system is a good job.”

Ramesh Bagwe,Minister of State (Home Affairs),promised to meet all the requirements of the city police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Ravindra Sengaonkar welcomed the gathering while Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Aparna Doke and Joint Commissioner Rajendra Sonawane were among those present.

A promise kept
Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh had an incident to share on the renovation of FRO. “A few months ago,Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma had come to the city for a function at Symbiosis. Many foreign students told him about the time-consuming procedure at the FRO. Sharma contacted us,after which we had a meeting with him. We promised to carry out the improvements within two months. And now,we have completed the task,” Singh said in his speech.

He said Pune had 27,000 foreigners,of whom 18,500 are students. “In a few days,we would also be starting online registration of foreigners.”