Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah inaugurated the new building of Delhi Police Headquarters (PHQ), at Jay Singh Marg in New Delhi, today. He also paid floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; visited the 'Aadarsh' Auditorium and photo gallery, viewed an audio-visual presentation on the new PHQ and visited the CP office in the new building.

During his address on the occasion, Shri Shah congratulated all officers and jawans of Delhi Police for finally getting its new HQ building nearly after 70 years. He observed that Delhi Police has a rich history of accomplishments and sacrifices made by its officers and felt proud after inaugurating the new building. Remembering Sardar Patel on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, Shri Shah said that there cannot be a more auspicious occasion than the birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India to inaugurate the PHQ building.

Commemorating the contribution of Sardar Patel in national integration, Shri Shah said that Sardar has been known because of his actions taken, more than his words, for integrating over 550 princely states that the Britishers left disunited at the time of independence. Sardar accomplished a near impossible task of surmounting tough challenges in a short time and create a united India that we are proud of today. Had Sardar not been there, India would not have had the kind of stature and importance in the world that it has today, he added.

Shri Shah said that Sardar Patel was instrumental in reorganising the civil services in independent India. It was not a mere administrative change from Civil Services created by Britishers to civil services for independent India. It included transforming the spirit of the administrative machinery of the country from an high-handed and oppressive state machinery to a welfare-based and growth-oriented governance infrastructure. Shri Shah observed that Sardar Patel's contribution to India is unparalleled, whether it was during the freedom struggle or post independence. He felt the pulse of the Nation and remained connected to the grassroots till his last breath. Shri Shah said that successive governments had not recognized the contribution of Sardar Patel for many years after independence. The youth of the country must take his life as a case study and try to imbibe his values in their lives to understand India, as Sardar Patel embodied the true spirit of India, the Minister added.

Talking about the importance of the police in the progress of the Nation, Shri Shah said that a stable law and order situation is the most important aspect for economic growth and social development in the country. He observed that the police is perpetually projected in negative shade in popular media, but the round the clock sacrifices made by the officers and jawaans to secure the lives of citizens are seldom highlighted. Such a kind of negative protection demoralizes our police force. The public image of police needs to change, he said.

Shri Shah informed that the government is working with a well planned, time bound and scientific strategy under the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to correct this situation. The Modi government has developed the National Police Memorial in New Delhi, which chronicles the sacrifices of over 34000 officers and jawans who have laid down their lives for the country. He made an emotional request to the public to visit the memorial and witness firsthand the challenges faced and sacrifices made by police forces for securing the Nation.

Having said this, Shri Shah noted that the police also needs to be proactive and responsive towards redressing the grievance of the public. He cautioned the Delhi Police that new buildings do not guarantee a reformed police force. It can be achieved only by transforming the spirit of policing towards being public service oriented. Only then the public image would improve and the efforts that the force is making would achieve the intended positive results. Shri Shah also reassured the public that Internal security is the top priority of Modi government and the security forces are working diligently towards accomplishing this commitment of the government.

Shri Shah concluded his address by paying tributes to Kirti Chakra awardees from Delhi Police as well as all the jawans across the country who have laid their lives for the Nation.

The new PHQ building is unique in its implementation and plans undertaken on a public private partnership mode, at a total cost of rupees 286 crores. The new PHQ is spread over an area of about 8 acres and the building has 18 floors, which is designed to accommodate all the functionally required officers, control rooms, conference rooms, control and communication centre. Owing to its central location, the building, which is disabled-friendly, will be accessible to public coming from all corners of Delhi for their grievance redressal.