No more khaki, Telangana police gets dark blue uniform

Hyderabad: Khakhi-clad cops will soon be a thing of the past in Telangana. The government has decided to introduce a new ‘dress code’ for the police, and also to thoroughly modernise the force. From August 15, the cops will be donning a ‘dark blue uniform.’ They will also be patrolling in brand new Toyota Innovas with GPS and 4G Internet services, instead of the age-old Rakshak vehicles. All police officials, irrespective of their wings like traffic, crime, intelligence etc., would have a common ‘dress code.’ This is to bring uniformity in the force.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who held a meeting with police officials at the Secretariat on Saturday, has also launched several new initiatives to modernise the police force, and to accord a 'international brand image' to the Telangana police along the lines of New York and London police.

He has even asked the police brass to tour New York and London and study the measures the cops there are adopting for effective policing. Mr Rao was specific regarding policing in Hyderabad saying that he wanted to see a ‘smart and safe Hyderabad’ with effective policing, tight security measures, safety and security, especially for women.

It was also decided to replace all Rakshak vehicles and motorbikes and to purchase 1,650 Toyota Innovas and 1,500 high-end motorbikes to ensure that police can reach a crime spot within 10 minutes from anywhere in the city.

The CM has also decided to build a six-storey building to house the police department besides residential quarters for the brass including the DGP, Hyderabad Commissioner, Cyberabad Commissioner, higher officials of Intelligence, Traffic, Crime, Law and Order among others. It was also decided to purchase nearly 10,000 CCTV cameras for installation at all sensitive locations across the city to monitor security measures.