Cuttack, Sept. 23: Cuttack police will appoint 800 special police officers (SPOs) to maintain law and order during Dussehra in the city.

Cuttack deputy commissioner of police Akhileswar Singh told The Telegraph today that volunteers from localities that have puja mandaps would be recruited as SPOs.

There are 160 puja pandaps in the city where Durga, Mahadev or Hara-Parvati idols are installed during Dusshera.

'Five volunteers will be accorded the SPO status for each puja mandap on the basis of names nominated by the respective puja committees,' Singh said.

The SPOs will be given identity cards and entrusted the responsibility of crime control, traffic control and enforcing rules and regulations. The puja committees have been asked to nominate five youth volunteers for being positioned as SPOs in their locality.

Cuttack Mahanagar Puja Committee secretary Pravat Tripathy said: 'The plan of recruiting SPOs during Dussehra was introduced on experimental basis a few years ago as part of community policing. It has proved to be a veritable support to the police to ensure safety for the people during festivals.'

'The SPOs will be used as part of an information gathering arrangement for controlling law and order in addition to taking up the responsibility of ensuring smooth conduct of the festival in their locality,' Singh added.

The cops want the SPOs to take up traffic management responsibilities during the peak time of the festival and more importantly, during the immersion processions. They are also expected to monitor and enforce sound pollution norms.

President of Cuttack Mahanagar Shanti Committee Debendra Sahu said: 'The SPOs are helpful in keeping an eye on security measures and regulating traffic near their respective puja mandaps.'

Balu Bazar Puja Committee president S.N. Sangneria said: 'Policing by SPOs plays a vital role in maintaining communication between police and public as most of the policemen deployed in the city during Dusshera come from various parts of the state.'

The deputy commissioner of police said four to five armed police personnel would be deployed at all the puja mandaps, which have chandi medha or silver filigree backdrops.