The authorities seem to have forgotten to beef up the infrastructure for the law enforcement agencies at the new Dabolim airport terminal that was inaugurated earlier this year.
As a result, ever since the airport police outpost was transformed into a police station, it lacks the basic amenities and has been struggling to function for almost a year.
What has baffled policemen at the police station is the shortage of space in the airport premises.
“Even after constant requests from the SP and DySP, the airport authority has delayed the process of identifying more spacious premises for the Dabolim Police Station. This is rather surprising since the entire old airport terminal lies vacant and idle and we could easily have been accommodated in some space over there. Yet, the airport authority is still exploring places for the Dabolim police station,” said a policeman, who spoke to Herald on condition of anonymity.
“We were informed by the airport director about a month ago that we would soon be shifted to the vacant customs room in the airport, but there has been no positive sign as yet,” he added.
Due to acute shortage of space, 33 personnel from the Dabolim airport police and the traffic cell have to manage in a shabby narrow room, which is divided into three cubicles. What is worse, the station house officer and the police inspector have to share the same chair as there is no separate cubicle for the police inspector.
The police station is faced with another problem: leakage of water and bad odour released from the sewage chamber opening, which is situated right below the PI’s desk.
“What is shocking is that the police station lacks toilet facilities, changing rooms, washrooms or even drinking water facilities. We are forced to rush to a nearby pay toilet,” said a policeman.
“Surprisingly, the visitor’s and complainant’s chair was also borrowed from the airport and we had to contribute from our own pockets to get certain equipment for the police station.”
“Ever since the outpost of the Vasco Police Station at Dabolim airport was upgraded to a police station, a lot of infrastructure should have been procured. However, the police station has no cell for prisoners and if anyone is arrested or detained, the accused needs to be shifted to Vasco Police Station,” informed the policeman.
“The police station lacks weapons for law and order and other basic equipments like computers and cupboards for recording and storing the equipments and storing files becomes a problem in a congested cubicle. Problem is even if we get all this equipment now, there will be no space to store it. As a result, we can demand all these facilities, once the police station is shifted to a more spacious office space.”
Added another source: “The police personnel use their personal equipment like laptops, table fans, etc, as the entire station has only two fans.”
The third partition at the Dabolim Police Station is utilised by the police personnel as their changing and restroom.
The police station and traffic cell also falls short of sanctioned staff. Only 10 of the 32 sanctioned staff are presently stationed at the traffic cell, while only 14 personnel are available at the Dabolim Police Station, which has 18 sanctioned staff. In addition, there are nine home guards.
The police station has no lady police constable, making it difficult for the Dabolim police to handle cases/crimes involving women, especially given the huge surge in air traffic during the ongoing tourism season.
When contacted, Airport Director K Srinvasa Rao said he was aware of the problems faced by the Dabolim police station and Traffic Cell.
“We are exploring the best possible place for the police station. Once the place is identified, we will soon shift the Dabolim police station at that particular site,” Rao told Herald.
