The Punjab police have demanded a sum of Rs 503 million from the provincial government for the completion of four under-construction Dolphin Force divisional headquarters, DSP Dolphin Force Shahzad Rafique told Business Recorder. "In January 2016, the police had started construction work on four divisional headquarters which could not be completed till date due to insufficient budget," he said. The provincial government had only issued Rs 374 million for the construction and now they are waiting for release of the remaining amount, he added.

According to him, the total cost of construction of this project was Rs 830 million. He said the police department is establishing Cantt Division Headquarters near Walton Road, Sadar Division Headquarter near Township police station and Iqbal Town Division Headquarters near Sabzazar police station and City Division Headquarters near Sagian Bridge. Moreover, they have also acquired a land for the establishment of Civil Lines Divisional Headquarters near Qurban Lines, which is now expected to be included in the project, he said.

The police will be constructing three compounds at the Cantt divisional headquarters including Main Division, Model Town and Cantt Division, said DSP Shahzad. He said the Cantt headquarters will be constructed over a piece of 26 kanal of land. DSP Shahzad expressed that the police department lacks enough space to accommodate 2100 personnel of Dolphin Force, so the construction of four headquarters is required to be completed on emergency basis.

When contacted, SP Mujahid Syed Karrar Hussain told this scribe that the police department will divide the total strength of the force into 200 groups each and subsequently allot them one headquarters. The SP said that all the latest technology and facilities would be provided to them and especial area for their rest would also be made available, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017