Raising Delhi Police numbers to cost Rs 483 crore yearly: Centre

NEW DELHI: Raising the number of policemen in Delhi is "costly but essential", the Delhi High Court said today after the Centre said it favoured increasing the efficiency of policing, but raising the number of cops would cost Rs 483 crore per annum.

The Finance Ministry also suggested that the cost could be reduced by resorting to other means like using the advancements in science and technology as "efficient policing may not be connected with additional posts or more personnel".

The submissions were made by Secretary (Expenditure) in the Ministry before a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva, which told the government that it should consider pulling funds from somewhere.

The Secretary said that in 2007, 20,000 posts were created in Delhi Police in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games and currently there was one cop for 241 people.

There are instructions to observe austerity as the government was hard-pressed for money and additional posts would be created only if absolutely necessary, he said.

He said he would ask the Home Ministry to rationalise the proposal to induct more policemen so as to reduce the cost.

The bench, however, said though it was necessary to use technology and scientific methods of investigation to strengthen policing, more cops as well as bifurcation of law and order and crime investigation was "essential" as "people of Delhi should live in a safe and secure environment".

"It may be costly, but it is essential," it said.

The court was also of the view that such a bifurcation would result in fewer investigations getting "botched up" and suggested that the proposal be implemented in a phased manner by starting it in some police stations as pilot projects.

It also agreed with the Secretary's suggestion that a meeting could be held between him and the Home Secretary to iron out issues, including the financial constraints, and arrive at a definitive proposal.