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Alok Singh is Noida's first Police Commissioner while Sujeet Panday has been made Lucknow's. This comes after the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet-led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved separate police commissioners for Lucknow and Noida. Lucknow will be divided into two zones - Lucknow City and Lucknow Rural. The number of women officers will also be increased in Noida, Greater Noida and capital city Lucknow.
The system gives more powers, including magisterial powers, to IPS officers of the Inspector General of Police (IG) rank posted as commissioners.
Under the new system 40 police stations in Lucknow will be brought under the police commissioner who will have a team of two IGs as joint commissioners, nine SP-rank officials and a lady officer of SP rank along with a lady officer of ASP rank. The lady officers will work exclusively for cases relating to crime against women and its control. In Noida, under the ADG rank official as commissioner, there will be two DIGs, five SPs, a SP-rank lady officer and an ASP rank official for traffic control.
"Since the past 50 years, there was a demand to enforce the police commissionerate system for smart policing and today the cabinet has taken a decision in this regard," the CM said.
"It was being considered since the past sometime that this system should be used for the urban population but it was ignored because of lack of political will power. I am happy that it has been approved for implementation in these two important areas," the chief minister said.
As per the 2011 census, Lucknow had a population of around 29 lakh which today has reached 40 lakhs while that of Gautambudh Nagar (Noida) was 16 lakhs and today is 25 lakh, the chief minister said.
The cabinet has also approved setting up two new police stations in Noida, he said.
Besides, a network of CCTVs will also be set by in these two districts, he said.
To a question if other major cities will also have the police commissionerate system, the CM said whatever steps are needed for better law and order will be taken.
