Cops ‘spaced out’ at BIA

Cops ‘spaced out’ at BIA


Bengaluru, June 7: If something goes wrong at Bial, clearly you’ve had it! Sample these: If you have a complaint to lodge, you need to drive up 10 kms to the nearest police station at Devanahalli! Want to speak to an ACP or an inspector? They are still scouting for a building to settle down! The BIA has provided space to set up help desk-cum-station inside the airport terminal and allotted 2 acres land inside the airport premises to the police department to house its main office. But the police department, even after two weeks of the airport being opened, doesn’t even have the facility to register an FIR.

The so-called station which functions 24/7 has three constables seated in a cozy corner with a telephone line. But after theft, assault, accident, loss of property, one will still have to drive all the way to Devanahalli. A senior police officer belonging to the airport station said they were still setting up the systems. "We have to install computer, wireless among others. The department has sanctioned Rs 2 crore to build a modern police station which is 2 kms from the main terminal. It will take a minimum of two years. Till then we need to hire a building and we are looking around," he said.

The state government, in a bid to enhance security around the new international airport, at Devanahalli and new localities in the north-eastern parts of the city, created a new police division, besides sanctioning six new police stations and three sub-divisions. A Government Order issued in this regard on March 12 stated that the North-East police division, headed by a deputy commissioner of police, would comprise 10 police stations, including six new and four existing police stations.

The new police stations was supposed to be located at international airport Kodigehalli, Amruthahalli, Samigehalli Layout, Kothanur and Bagalur. But not one of the stations have been come into existence and the department is still on the look out for premises.