Chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurates Model police station in Patna on Saturday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Oct. 20: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today inaugurated the swanky Model police station and 147 other buildings constructed by Bihar Police Building Construction Corporation across the state.

Inaugurating the five-storeyed Model police station, Nitish said: “I love the view of the huge Gandhi Maidan from here. It is just amazing and one can just see its entire expanse and also can sit under the open sky and relax. Any policeman, who feels stressed after duty, can just come here and enjoy the cool breeze and serenity of this place.”

The building, the first in the state to have an elevator, will house Gandhi Maidan and Traffic police stations.

Taking a stroll down memory lane, Nitish said: “Around 35 years ago, when I wasn’t even an MLA, I went to Falka police station for some reason. I saw a man tied to a rock in the open as the police station didn’t have a lock-up. This new police station shows that some good work has really been done.”

The 31,510-sqft Model police station has a semi-basement with parking space for 15 vehicles and has been built at a cost of Rs 3.52 crore.

“The building is earthquake-resistant and is a green building. There are separate lock-ups for men and women besides control rooms, offices and investigation rooms among others. The building has adequate fire-fighting facilities and the terrace has watch towers at four corners,” Ashok Kumar Gupta, the additional director-general –cum-chairman and managing director of Bihar Police Building Construction Corporation said.