Hyderabad police commissionerates may see fresh realignment
HYDERABAD: The state government’s recent reorganisation of Hyderabad’s police commissionerates may undergo further changes, with senior officials reviewing jurisdictional anomalies ahead of a proposed government order in February.
Committee likely to review anomalies
As part of the city’s expansion, the government recently increased the number of police commissionerates from three to four and split certain police stations. The Hyderabad Police Commissionerate was extended from Begumpet Airport to Shamshabad airport. While the seven zones were retained, divisions were reduced from 28 to 26, with 72 police stations kept unchanged.
Cyberabad Commissionerate was downsized from five zones, 11 divisions and 44 police stations to four zones, seven divisions and 22 police stations. Rachakonda was renamed Malkajgiri Commissionerate and reduced from four zones, nine divisions and 49 police stations to four zones, 10 divisions and 30 police stations.
Officials also scrapped the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri zone, which had remained within the same commissionerate for nine years, restricting it to the district. Maheshwaram zone, along with Chevella, Shadnagar and Shankarpally areas of Cyberabad, was carved out as the Future City Commissionerate.
Senior officials have identified several inconsistencies in police station boundaries and zonal alignments in the newly added areas. Police circles say a high-level committee of senior officers has been formed to study the issues and submit a special report, so that corrections can be incorporated before the February government order for administrative convenience.
Begumpet, Secunderabad trigger opposition
Begumpet airport and Secunderabad railway station are considered key hubs of the twin cities. In the recent reorganisation, Begumpet was declared a new zone and merged into Malkajgiri Commissionerate. Secunderabad railway station and the adjacent Market police station were also brought under Malkajgiri, triggering strong local opposition.
Officials are now reconsidering the move. Sources said the committee is examining proposals to retain Begumpet within Hyderabad Commissionerate and keep Gopalapuram and Market police stations, which fall under the Secunderabad station limits, within Hyderabad as well.
IT corridor split raises concerns
The reorganisation has also drawn criticism for fragmenting the IT corridor. Zones earlier centred on Madhapur, Balanagar and Medchal were restructured into Serilingampally, Kukatpally and Quthbullapur zones. Local residents and police personnel say police station mergers were carried out without coherence.
Madhapur and Raidurgam police stations, considered key to the IT corridor, were placed under Kukatpally zone, while Gachibowli was shifted out of Madhapur division and merged into Narsingi division. Three police stations that earlier fell under one division were split across zones.
Despite the Madhapur division being merged into Kukatpally, the ACP office of the division continues to function from Gachibowli police station. There is also a view that Chandannagar police station should be moved from Serilingampally to Kukatpally zone.
Sources said the committee is considering retaining Gachibowli, Madhapur and Raidurgam police stations within Madhapur division and continuing them under Serilingampally zone to ensure administrative clarity.
