Makeover in New Year for suburban commissionerate

CHENNAI: The newly-formed suburban police commissionerate at St Thomas Mount is all set for a new look this New Year, with infrastructure and modernization works having begun earlier this week. The modernization project, which is estimated to cost about Rs 20 crore, will include the construction of 436 quarters for constables and sub-inspectors. Of these, 116 will be allotted to sub-inspectors; the rest will be given to constables.
New roads will be laid within the premises along with several other facilities.
Police officials can avail themselves of the superior sports facilities that are coming up within the premises. Sports equipment worth Rs 2.5 lakh will be bought and stocked up. The grounds which are being laid out presently are being built to hold various sports events and ceremonies. A total of Rs 4 lakh is being spent for bringing in soil for the sports ground alone. Another key addition to the commissionerate will be well-equipped resting sheds for the armed reserve force personnel. Over three sheds are to be built at an estimated Rs 34.43 lakh.
Officials at the commissionerate said work on the residential quarters was under way and that the houses would be ready within a year's time. Various police officials belonging to the suburban police are to be allotted stay in these newly constructed quarters.
SR Jangid, the first commissioner since the inception of the suburban commissionerate, said the new facilities would be a welcome change. "The commissionerate is still under construction and once the sports grounds and other facilities are completed, it will be fully equipped. We are trying to bring about the developments in a gradual manner and the new police quarters will definitely benefit many of the constabulary," he said.
As part of the development works, ten houses that had been encroaching upon cantonment land where the commissionerate was set up, were removed by officials. A new passageway linking the commissionerate directly to Jawaharlal Nehru Road (100 feet road) will be laid. Rani, one of the residents whose house had been demolished, said, "Even though it is good that the commissioner's office is being expanded, if we had been given some notice, we could have moved to a different spot. My husband is a wage labourer and we have been here for the last 20 years. With our house being demolished now, we have nowhere to go."