500-strong police force for Southern Expressway
by Ranil WIJAYAPALA
The Police Department will deploy around 500 personnel for duties
along the Southern Expressway, under the Expressway Police Division
which has been formed exclusively for highway duties after it is opened
to traffic, Senior DIG Traffic Management and Police Field Force
Headquarters Asoka Wijetilleka told the Sunday Observer.
“Under this Division we will operate radio cars and motorcycle
patrols which will be for expressway duties only.
Which will be on 24 hours on all seven days. It will be on a shift
basis, he added.
“We have identified Kurundugahahetekma as the Expressway Police
Division headquarters which would be the central point of the Expressway
once the construction is completed up to Matara,” he added.
According to DIG Wijetilleka, Police personnel will be deployed for
traffic, firefighting, paramedical duties and for the security at the
toll collection points.
“For the first time in Sri Lanka Police personnel will be deployed in
firefighting units and also as paramedics.
We are giving them training. Paramedics have been selected from the
Special Task Force and the firefighting units are undergoing training at
present, he added.
According to him, traffic control units will be based initially at
Gelanigama, Kurundugahahatakma and Pinnaduwa.
In addition to these, the RDA will also deploy patrol teams to help
and support the police for patrolling, accident clearing operations and
also to identify unroadworthy vehicles.
“We also intend to have a traffic communications and information
centre operated by the RDA besides our own Police communications which
will link up Gelanigama, Kurundugahahetekma and Pinnaduva Units, he
added.
“In addition to the 350 policemen for traffic and security, the
paramedics and firefighting units will have 108 personnel. Altogether
there will be over 500 from the Police for expressway duties,” he added.
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