A chowkey propped up by citizens

PUNE: A police chowkey without a telephone, electricity, potable water and toilets. This is the situation not in some remote hamlet of the country, but at Koregaon Park, one of the posh addresses in the city.
It is just unthinkable for a police chowkey in a prominent pocket of a city, which is gaining the distinction of a fast emerging metro, to function in stone-age conditions.But, Good Samaritans in the Koregaon Park area have made it quite possible.
The chowkey conveniently receives telephone calls at the neighbouring ‘Terri Rajput Dhaba’. This dhaba also allows the policemen on duty to use their toilets, besides providing them with drinking water. As far as power connection is concerned, well, it comes from a neighbouring flour mill, which keeps the two fans and three tubelights, also donated by some residents, working.
The magnanimous gesture of the residents does not stop here. Besides the fans and tubelights, the residents have donated three tables, nine plastic moulded chairs, a wall clock, flooring, a bulletin board and decorative plants. Inaugurated on January 26, the chowkey is manned by one inspector, ten constables and a mobile patrol.
It was established after Koregaon Park reported a number of thefts, burglaries and two murders. Assistant police inspector P.S. Thakare said since January, 36 FIRs have been filed. Out of these, 14 relate to car thefts. The chowkey covers Hotel Blue Diamond, Kavdewadi, Sant Gadge Maharaj and Koregoan Park areas.
Asked about the abysmal lack of basic amenities at the chowkey, DCP Vijay Singh Jadhav (zone-II) said, “The chowkey has not been sanctioned by the government. It was opened to reduce the commuting distance of the residents, who had go to the Bund Garden police station to lodge a complaint.�
Jadhav said the chowkey was a temporary arrangement until all the sanctions were in place. “We are pursuing the matter for providing amenities as soon as possible, but it will take some time,� he added. Obviously, lack of basic amenities like toilets also means that the police cannot post a woman constable or officer at the chowkey, and has to request for the same whenever the need arises.