Bhubaneswar: More than 150 police mitras will be deployed at vantage points around Exhibition Ground, the DotFest venue in Odisha capital, to assist the citizens and visitors, check illegal parking and regulate traffic.
They are volunteers from different slums in the city and have been trained to supplement police efforts to maintain law and order during the ongoing FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup when several entertainment programmes are being hosted. “Police mitras are trained to look out for suspicious elements and inform the police. They will manage parking and assist traffic personnel in regulating the traffic during the evening hour rush. They will also guide people who come to the venue and parking areas,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh.
Police mitras will also be engaged at ‘May I Help You’ desks set up in about 16 major locations of the city. They have been provided with t-shirts, which would set them apart from the crowd.
Addressing the police mitras on Saturday, additional police commissioner Umashankar Dash said: “The aim is to ensure secure and smooth traffic and parking management. It is an opportunity for the volunteers to prove their mettle and behave like mitras of people.”
Notably, the Commissionerate Police had earlier selected at least 1,000 youths to assist the cops in controlling crowds and regulating the traffic during major occasions.
