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NT Bureau
Chennai, Apr 24:

        Evening time at Mylapore and a group of policemen can be seen bicycling in the area. They cycle surveying the law and order situation around, stop to hear complaints, end minor scuffles and also take time off to have a friendly chat with the public.

Every day, for the last fortnight six policemen attached to the Mylapore station have been patrolling the narrow bylanes of Mylapore on bicycles from 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm. They either move together as a group or are split into three beats depending on the need of the hour.         Inspector S Sankaralingam or a Sub-Inspector accompany them to guide them on the procedures to be followed.         The re-introduction of bicycle patrolling recently has made it easier for the police to traverse narrow bylanes and swiftly solve local problems in the locality.         'Vehicles are useful only to patrol arterial roads. Cycles enable us to access the interior areas especially those of the slums, where squabbles and law and order problems abound. Sometimes when we witness a local strife we are able to settle the problem immediately', said Sankaralingam.

PEDALLING TO FIGHT CRIME: Policemen on bicycle patrol.

        The patrol vehicle is however stopped at a point on the main road from where these bylanes branch of, for emergency reasons.

        'In case of a situation where we are unable to nab the culprits by giving a chase on foot we call for the vehicle and chase them', informed Sankaralingam.

        The Deputy Commissioner of Mylapore range, A G Maurya said that cycle patrolling had its own advantages. Though it could not reach the spot of crime quickly like a patrol vehicle, it could tackle unreported offences, easily and on the spot.

        'It helps to establish a better rapport with the people and instill confidence about us. It helps in maintaining general discipline and allows scope for greater interaction with the public,' he said.

        The public especially slum-dwellers have also welcomed this move by the police. 'When they sight a quarrel during their patrol they immediately attend to it and put an end to it which is a great relief for us. Since they are on the spot there is no distortion of facts', said a slum resident.

        'Complaints can be lodged with them when they come on the beat and so it saves us time and travel. Moreover miscreants can be handed over to the police immediately', remarked another resident.

        The bicycle patrol of the Mylapore station covers all the areas within its jurisdiction and will become a permanent style of patrolling. 'It will be permanent and will cover all the areas by rotation irrespective of whether they house slums or bungalows,' said Maurya.

        Bicycle patrolling is soon to be introduced in the Abhiramapuram, Royapettah and Foreshore Estate areas also.