20 fortified police stations to be built in naxal-hit areas

At least 20 new fortified police stations will be built in Maharashtra's naxal-affected Gadchiroli and Gondia districts, an official said on Thursday.

It will take the number of such stations in the region to 32.

These police stations will have high compound walls and monitoring towers, among other features, to tackle any kind of attacks by maoists, he said.

Twelve such stations were constructed in Gadchiroli and Gondia last year, the official said.

Earlier, the Maharashtra Police Housing and Welfare Corporation was to undertake the construction of these police stations, but now the responsibility has been assigned to Deputy Inspector General of police, Gadchiroli, the official said.

At least 250 fortified police stations are proposed to be built under the Special Infrastructure Scheme of the Ministry of Home Affairs in naxal-affected states.