3 weeks ago
Karnataka gives in-principle nod to split Bengaluru police
Bengaluru is a huge city in India with lots of people and lots of traffic.
Right now, one big police office looks after the whole city.
The Karnataka government thinks that one office is too big to manage well.
So the leaders decided to split the police into five smaller offices, one for each part of the city.
Each smaller office would have its own police boss.
A top chief would watch over all five of them.
The plan will cost Rs 764 crore and create 6,633 new police jobs.
The leaders are still thinking about how to make it work.
Some police officers are worried that the new setup could cause confusion about who is in charge.
The government might announce the plan on August 15, which is India's Independence Day.
Karnataka's Congress government, led by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, granted in-principle approval to split Bengaluru city police into five commissionerates and create 6,633 new posts.
The Rs 764-crore proposal still needs Cabinet clearance before it can be executed.
The plan, finalized by Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, would divide Bengaluru into north, south, central, east and west units under a DGP-rank Chief Commissioner of Police.
An official announcement may be made during Shivakumar's Independence Day speech on August 15.
Some police officials fear jurisdictional disputes and an unwieldy command structure, while Home Minister Priyank Kharge says the proposal is still at a conceptual stage.
- Who
- Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's Congress government, Home Minister Priyank Kharge, and Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh
- What
- In-principle approval to split the Bengaluru city police into five commissionerates with 6,633 new posts at a cost of Rs 764 crore
- Where
- Karnataka, India, with the proposal tabled at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru
- When
- Approved in-principle on Wednesday; the proposal was signed on August 1, with a possible announcement on August 15
- Why
- Bengaluru's rapid expansion to nearly 1,294 sq km and a population of about 1 crore 56 lakhs have made coordinated crime and traffic management more challenging
Proponents
Skeptics
Number of police sub-units
Proponents
Splitting the commissionerate into five units aligns with the five civic units of the Greater Bengaluru Authority and supports coordinated management of crime and traffic.
Skeptics
Chief Commissioner post
Proponents
Upgrading the police commissioner's post to a DGP-rank Chief Commissioner will strengthen the police system.
Skeptics
There are reservations about creating a new Super City Commissioner post of DGP rank above the current reporting structure.
Size of command structure
Proponents
Five commissioners and 28 deputy commissioners are needed to manage a fast-growing city with high per-capita crime and cyber crime rates.
Skeptics
The structure could become unwieldy for managing law and order in Bengaluru.
Key facts
- Government
- Congress-led Karnataka government under CM D K Shivakumar
- Proposal cost
- Rs 764 crore
- New police posts
- 6,633
- Planned commissionerates
- 5 (north, south, central, east, west)
- Chief Commissioner rank
- Director General of Police (DGP)
- Deputy Commissioners planned
- 28 (currently 18)
- Bengaluru area
- About 1,294 sq km (original BBMP core: 712.54 sq km)
- Bengaluru population
- About 1 crore 56 lakhs
Quotes
D K Shivakumar
Chief Minister of Karnataka
““The matter has not yet been discussed in detail with the relevant stakeholders. The chief minister has, however, directed the Home Department to examine and propose more effective and efficient measures to strengthen policing and improve police governance in Bengaluru.””
indianexpress.com
““I have taken up the responsibility of Bengaluru development to bring change. I would like to leave behind a legacy for Bengaluru. We have taken up many projects which will change the face of the city.””
indianexpress.com
Government source
Unnamed government official
““There is no finality as yet. The proposal has come before the government.””
indianexpress.com










