The state cabinet on Wednesday approved the creation of two police commissionerates in North 24-Parganas — for Bidhannagar and Barrackpore.

“The proposal, aimed at boosting policing in the two urban clusters, came up for discussion today and was passed unanimously after some deliberations,” said a senior minister.

Insiders said the government would have to get the high court’s consent before setting up the commissionerates, which will comprise 21 police stations.

Bengal now has three commissionerates — in Calcutta, Asansol and Howrah.

The Bidhannagar commissionerate will comprise nine police stations, including Bidhannagar North and South, New Town, Lake Town, Baguiati and Airport police stations.

The Barrackpore commissionerate will have 12 police stations, including Baranagar, Dum Dum, Belghoria, Ghola, Khardah, Titagarh and Barrackpore.

“The commissionerates will have a structure similar to that in Calcutta, headed by a police commissioner who will be assisted by additional, joint, deputy and assistant commissioners,” said an officer.

The changeover would mean additional manpower, buildings (including barracks) and additional fleet of vehicles, and, hence, would call for substantial allocation by the finance department.

“The immediate requirement, apart from personnel, will be vehicles. A proposal has been sent to the top brass to arrange for more vans and jeeps for the new commissionerates,” the officer said.

Wednesday’s cabinet decision is in tune with the recommendations of the second state police commission, which called for setting up of commissionerates in urban centres across the state for better policing. Sources said that after Trinamul came to power, the police brass have convinced the political executive of the need to implement the commission’s report, submitted in 1994.

Some officers, however, warned that it would take at least one-and-a-half years for any change in the quality of policing to become visible.