Proposal to bifurcate Chennai Police

A proposal to bifurcate the Chennai police commissionerate has been forwarded to the State government for approval, according to a senior police official.

As the metro has been witnessing robust growth in the last two to three years, especially in the IT sector, the Police Department wanted to give greater attention to the rising number of complaints about white collar offences and land grabbing.

With the proposed bifurcation, which is expected to be announced by the Chief Minister in the current budget session, the Chennai Police would have over 80 police stations under its jurisdiction. The new Commissionerate would have about 40 police stations, including a few in Kancheepuram police district, under it.

Named as Mount Commissioner’s office, the proposed Commissionerate would have a Commissioner, a Joint Commissioner and three Deputy Commissioners for Ambattur, Madhavaram and St. Thomas Mount, the source said, adding that a DCP (Traffic) would also be a part of the new commissionerate.

After several rounds of discussions, senior police officers arrived at a consensus to entrust the Chennai airport area with the proposed Mount Commissionerate. There were different opinions on the jurisdiction of the IT corridor along the Rajiv Gandhi Salai (Old Mahabalipuram Road), Neelankarai and Thoraipakkam, the source said.

However, senior police officers said the jurisdiction spread over the IT corridor would be entrusted with the new Commissionerate, as it would enable the Mount Commissioner to give focussed attention to the security of vital installations.