The Howrah City Police introduced a string of facilities like trauma care ambulances, CCTVs at strategic spots, 24x7 traffic surveillance with Automatic Number Plate Readers and Red Light Violation Detectors to provide better policing to the residents.

The facilities were inaugurated at a programme at Santragachhi Bus Terminus on Kona Expressway early this month. Director-general and inspector-general of police (DG and IGP) Surajit Kar Purkayastha was present at the programme along with IGP, South Bengal, Ajey Mukund Ranade, and Howrah police commissioner D.P. Singh. Howrah MP Prasun Banerjee, state minister for sports and youth affairs Lakshmi Ratan Shukla and irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee were also present.

Six fully-equipped and air-conditioned trauma care ambulances, called Kiran, will be stationed at Vidyasagar Setu toll plaza, Maitypara on National Highway 2, Ramkrishnapur Ghat on Foreshore Road, Bandhaghat, at TL Jaiswal Hospital on GT Road and at the Chatterjeepara crossing on Drainage Canal Road. These ambulances provided by Narayana Superspeciality Hospital will give immediate care to accident victims on the highways and in the city.

“The ambulances will have paramedical staff, civic police and a driver. They are equipped with oxygen cylinders, suction machines, ventilators and complete cardiac care equipment required in emergencies. In case of severe accidents, the paramedic staff will be trained and equipped to control blood loss and stabilise the patient as much as possible and reach him to the nearest hospital,” said R. Venkatesh, the zonal director of Narayana Health.

“We often see that accident victims die on their way to a medical facility. These ambulances will help increase their chances of survival,” said Sumit Kumar, deputy commissioner, traffic, Howrah. He added the ambulances would be stationed at different places from time to time.

Besides, traffic surveillance will get a boost at the traffic geadquarters on Belilious Road with new equipment. The control room now has eight large screens with live streaming 24x7 from 324 high quality CCTV cameras. These have been installed at 67 locations around Howrah town.

Automatic Number Plate Readers (ANPR)s with Red Light Violation Detectors (RLVD)s have been installed at five important crossings, including Ichhapur, Kajipara, Garpa bridge on Kona Expressway, Andul Road and Howrah Bridge approach. “These will help locate and identify stolen vehicles which are generally used to commit crime,” said Kumar.

The commissionerate also replaced its old vehicles with 10 new Scorpios and 20 motorcycles in order to improve the response time of the police to an emergency or law and order situation.

The Quick Reaction Team (QRT), the High Radio Flying Squad (HRFS) and the Anti Human Trafficking units have been provided with new vehicles. “The new vehicles have better speed and performance and will improve the response time. The motorcycles will be used by the traffic department and also for city patrolling in Howrah since most narrow lanes in the town can only be accessed by motorbikes,” said Kumar.

In a green drive, the Howrah City Police have also planted 12,000 saplings at the traffic headquarters on Belilious Road, Santragachhi Bus Terminus and in other parts of the town.

A group of 200 students cycled 5km from Santragachhi Bus Terminus to Drainage Canal Road to promote health and environment awareness.