Kathmandu, November 17:

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula today inaugurated the operations of Metropolitan Police in Kathmandu Valley. This is the first phase of establishment of the 12,000-odd strong police force in the capital, which Nepal Police aims to complete in five phases.

In his inaugural address, minister Sitaula urged the police personnel to work according to the people’s spirit as expressed through the Jana Andolan II.

“People are expecting something concrete and new to happen in the society through us — the government and the civil administration — and we should make them feel the change by mending our ways of thinking, character, behaviour and working style,” minister Sitaula said.

“With the changed structure of police organisation in the Kathmandu Valley, I would like to request you to make the organisation prompt and modern,” he said.

He also urged the present state authorities to take the responsibility to hold election to constituent assembly as a challange.

Umesh Prasad Mainali, secretary at the ministry of home, said the structure of police in the Valley was changed to cope with the increasing number and complications of crimes in the city. “Change in the structure of the organisation would have no meaning unless there is change in the working style and the people feel that the body is working for them,” he said.

Inspector General of Police Om Bikram Rana said this is the first stage of setting up Metropolitan Police and the new set-up would get a full form in five phases.

He said there will be three metropolitan ranges, seven metropolitan circles and a few metropolitan sections. Police heaquarters has managed 8,000-odd police personnel for the Metropolitan Police in the first phase.

Officiating Police Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Dipak Thangden, claimed that police would be able to reach every nook and corner of the Valley within 10 minutes of getting information.

Now onwards, district police offices in the Valley will be called Metropolitan Police Ranges. Each range will be headed by a SP. There will be 10 Metropolitan Police Circles and 70 Metropolitan Police Sections. Each police circle will be headed by a DSP and police section by a Police Inspector.