This police station has 'remote' control

PUNE: Haveli police station occupies a plum spot, right in the heart of the city, in Shukrawar Peth. To all intents and purposes it is the perfect place from which to administer and oversee the letter of the law.
There''s just one small problem. The areas over which the police station has jurisdiction lie some 10 to 20 kilometres away.
The police station, part of the rural commissionerate, covers parts of Sinhagad road (up to the fort), parts of the Katraj ghat, the Pune-Satara highway, part of the Katraj-Kondhwa road, Kondhwa, Ambegaon, Khadakwasla, Wadgaon Dhayari and Khed-Shivapur.
Though there are three police outposts, one each at Khed-Shivapur, Khadakwasla and Wadgaon Dhayari, police personnel and citizens said the location of the police station causes them great inconvenience.
The outposts have only six policemen each, an inadequate number for the massive area they have to cover.
"The police station is situated far away from the areas we are supposed to look after. A lot of time is taken to reach these places, in case of emergencies," said a police constable from the Haveli police station, who requested anonymity.
"The number of accident cases are high as our jurisdiction covers busy roads like the Pune-Satara highway, the Sinhagad road and the Katraj-Kondhwa road. Though it is essential for us to be at the spot on time, negotiating traffic in the city is a problem and this affects our speed," said another constable.
Infrastructure fares no better. The police station has a single van with which to patrol this massive area. This van also has to be utilised for escort duties whenever a VIP is passing through the area.
"The solution lies in merging suburban areas like Kondhwa and Wadgaon Dhayari into the area of the city police commissionerate. The Haveli police station can be shifted to the areas which fall under its jurisdiction and the number of outposts can be increased," added another senior police official from the police station.
It''s not just the policemen who are unhappy with the situation. People living in those areas are vocal in their displeasure.
"The number of outposts is woefully inadequate to cater to the rising population. Though police complaints are registered at the three outposts, those who live in areas without outposts have to come to the police station. This is very troublesome," said Tukaram Choudhari, a resident of Sinhagad road.