Cops plan police station At Bagdogra airport

SNS, Siliguri, 14 August: With increasing traffic at the Airport, security concerns have been raised  . As Bagdogra Airport started handling one more international flight (Bagdogra-Kathmandu) from yesterday, and in view of the growing importance of the airport and the increasing movement of VIPs and VVIPs, the Siliguri Metropolitan Police (SMP) has said it wants to set up a full-fledged police station at the airport.

"With the importance of the airport growing and one more international flight set to be operational, there should be a full-fledged police station at the airport area. There are dedicated police stations in all the airports. We will send a proposal in this regard to the police directorate," SMP commissioner Jag Mohan said here today.

This apart, the SMP is also sending proposals to convert the NJP, Ambari, and Asighar police outposts into police stations.

After Paro-Bagdogra-Bangkok, SpiceJet flight Kolkata-Kathmandu-Bagdogra-Kathmandu-Kolkata began operational yesterday.

A police official, however, said there is a problem in finding and acquiring a plot of land in the area for the police station.

According to police officials, proposals had been earlier sent for converting the NJP police out post, now operating under the Bhaktinagar police station, into a police station. The Ambari police outpost is also presently under the Bhaktinagar police station.

"We are sending proposals for setting up of four police stations-- NJP, Ambari, Bhaktinagar and Bagdogra airport -- to the police directorate," said the police chief, adding that there should be a police station at Uttarayan too.

"The police out post at Uttarayan is under the Matigara police station, but with the growing importance of the area, a separate police station there is important," he said.

Sources said at least 1000 cases are registered at the NJP outpost every year, a figure considered the highest at any outpost under the SMP.

"Around 50% of the cases of the Bhaktinagar police station is lodged at the NJP outpost," the sources said.

There are also proposals to set up a new police station to cover Shiv Mandir area on the North Bengal University (NBU) campus, after dividing the Matigara police station, which now covers the area. Mr Mohan said police have taken up the issue with the NBU authorities.\

"For better policing, it is important to have separate police stations. Siliguri, being an important town, needs all these police stations, but the SMP is reeling under a manpower crisis," said an officer.

According to sources, the Bhaktinagar police station, which now covers around 300 square km of area, is likely to be divided.

"The population under the police station is 4.5 lakh, when generally there is less than one lakh population in a police station area. Around 2,500 cases are registered in the police station annually. It covers an area from Gajaldoba-Sevoke Road-Saktigarh. It is difficult for the police station to cover such a vast area," the sources said.