Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve (Express photo)Sanjay Barve, a 1987-batch IPS officer who was appointed Mumbai Police Commissioner on February 28, spoke to Mohamed Thaver about the challenges of heading the city police during the poll season and the issues he wants to focus on during his tenure, among other things.
As the Mumbai Police commissioner, what are your top priorities?
I would say the topmost priority is to ensure that the elections take place smoothly without any untoward incident. Ensuring that the metropolitan city is free from every perceivable crime is a constant effort. Also the issue of welfare of police constabulary, be it their health issues, accommodation or having a support system for their families is an issue close to my heart and I would endeavour to take initiatives to that end.
What are the steps being taken to ensure elections take place smoothly in the city?
There are certain procedures that are always followed before the elections take place. Accordingly, we have started taking steps against lumpen elements involved in property and body offences, bootleggers and slumlords that could create nuisance during elections. In the case of such people, we either extern them from city limits or use other provisions under the law.
Among the several posts you have held in the city, you were also the joint commissioner of police (traffic). Today traffic has become one of the major issues for most Mumbai residents, especially along routes where Metro construction work is underway. How do you see the issue?
Cities grow, rejuvenate and transform themselves over a period of time. Mumbai is currently in that phase. Three years hence when Metro is in place, it will transform how the city commutes. I would request Mumbai residents to bear with the needs of the city. The police is there to mitigate the difficulties and regulate traffic.
But there are certain stretches like the Western Express Highway where the situation is dire and people are stuck in traffic jams for hours. How do you plan to resolve this issue?
As urgent remedial measures, there is maximum manpower in the form of traffic policemen, wardens deployed at places that suffer from extreme traffic situation especially during peak hours.
In the past it has been seen that every new police commissioner starts new initiatives that continue only during his tenure? Would the eight-hour shift system for policemen started by former police commissioner Datta Padsalgikar continue?
I have worked with around 10 city police commissioners in various capacities and they have done their best and added something that makes Mumbai Police proud. Every step in the right direction will continue and eight-hour shifts for Mumbai Police was a step in the right direction.
You have asked senior officers to visit one police station everyday. What is the rationale behind it?
Yes, I have asked everyone from joint commissioners and below to visit one police station everyday and resolve issues at the police station level itself rather than escalate it.
In whatever free time you manage, how do you unwind?
I am trained in classical music and I like listening to it as I no longer find the time to play music. I am also a voracious reader and just finished reading Becoming by Michelle Obama. I was a literature student and I keep going back to classics by authors like T S Eliot and W B Yeats.
