Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner Vinoy Choubey hosted a 'Virtual Town Hall' session on Wednesday, during which he addressed several critical questions raised by the residents of the industrial city. From cybercrime to traffic congestion, the CP provided detailed information on each query posed to him.
1. Child safety at schools:
Against the backdrop of the Badlapur sexual assault case, the Pimpri-Chinchwad CP stated that the police in the twin city are ensuring that the rules and regulations given by the Maharashtra government are being implemented. These include installing CCTV cameras in the premises of all private and government schools, mandatory police verification of all employees, including those on a contractual/outsourced basis, mandatory complaint boxes where students can anonymously post their complaints, and the formation of a separate Student Safety Committee at the school level. "Also, I would like to inform you that a meeting was held of the trustees, principals, administrators, etc. of all the schools within the @PCcityPolice jurisdiction last week. They have been informed of the rules and clearly instructed to ensure enforcement of police verification of all their school as well as transportation staff," the CP added.
2. Traffic congestion:
Choubey said the traffic congestion issue in Pimpri-Chinchwad has become acute due to the ongoing rainy season. "Our traffic branch, in coordination with Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), Public Works Department (PWD), and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has surveyed and identified a total of 26 congestion points & bottlenecks in the city. All the stakeholders are working together to resolve the issues, which includes measures such as road widening & repairs, removal of encroachments, regulation of heavy vehicles, introduction of free left turns wherever possible, and increased strength of traffic personnel," the CP stated. He also informed that the police have taken action against several people for breaking traffic rules this year — 25,000 cases of signal jumping, 12,000 for rash driving, and 84,000 of obstructing traffic have been lodged. "Action will be intensified in the coming days," he added.
Choubey emphasised that Hinjawadi traffic is one of their key priorities. "We are coordinating with Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), PWD & Metro Authorities for road widening, repairs, and completion of other civil work. Wipro Circle, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, Tata T Junction, and Radha Chowk are some of the congestion spots highlighted by citizens time and again. We are managing the issue by using barricades, ropes and other traffic regulation measures during peak hours as suggested by citizens. Also, a joint proposal to restrict the timings of movement of heavy vehicles in Hinjawadi and adjoining areas is under process," the CP stated.
3. Cyber Crime:
The Pimpri-Chinchwad CP listed a few cyber scams which have taken place recently, including narcotics/ED/police officer impersonation & digital arrest scams, share market investment scams, online task frauds, BSNL/MNGL electricity/gas bill related frauds, and urged the residents to immediately report cyber fraud on the National Cyber Crime Portal https://cybercrime.gov.in or call on toll-free number 1930. He noted that the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police have registered 216 offences related to cybercrime this year. "We have arrested 72 accused from across the country and refunded ₹2.5 crore+ to victims this year so far. Also a substantial fraud amount of ₹27 crore has been kept on lien/hold successfully," he added.
4. Ganeshotsav:
To ensure a peaceful festive season, Choubey said Pimpri-Chinchwad Police has organised meetings with peace committees, Ganpati mandals, and other government departments for better coordination. He said special attention will be paid to traffic regulation during the festive season and appealed to the citizens to follow the noise pollution-related orders/guidelines. "Additionally, we have analysed the immersion routes and planned traffic diversions at 30 locations," he stated. Moreover, for Ganpati mandals to obtain permission, they have facilitated a single window system. "The link for obtaining permission is: http://103.224.247.141:8080/PCMCFESTIVALNOC/," the CP concluded.
