Nashik cops want one more deputy commissioner of police for traffic branch

Nashik: The Nashik City Police were likely to get an additional deputy commissioner of police (DCP) ahead of the upcoming Kumbh Mela, said senior officials.

Currently, the Nashik city police commissionerate has four DCPs responsible for Zone 1, Zone 2, the crime branch and the police headquarters. The headquarters (HQ)DCP also shared the responsibility for managing the city’s traffic branch.

Senior officials added, “If an additional DCP was sanctioned, the officer could be dedicated entirely to the traffic branch, as managing and planning traffic flow was crucial during the upcoming Kumbh Mela. A proposal in this regard was already sent to state govt and it was likely that the Nashik city police commissionerate would get the post of DCP soon.”

Senior police officials said the city police commissionerate never had a traffic DCP, although there was always the need for a separate DCP considering the rising number of vehicles on city streets and the need to manage vehicular traffic.

Nashik city has major roads of 2,100 kms, with a force of roughly 300 personnel to manage traffic on them.

While there is a separate post for ACP traffic, the officer concerned had to continuously take permission from the DCP. “Since the DCP (HQ) was majorly focused on administrative works, the officer could not provide their complete attention to traffic,” officials said, adding that this called for a separate DCP to handle traffic responsibilities.

Commissioner of Police Sandeep Karnik told the media that a proposal about the new DCP has already been sent and there was a possibility that an officer would soon be appointed as the fifth DCP for the police commissionerate.