About Delhi Traffic Police

Kotwal has contributed to the policing system of Delhi for a very long time now. Maliklul Umar Fakhruddin, as history says, was perhaps Delhi’s first Kotwal. This was in the year 1237 A.D. when he was elected as a Kotwal at the age of 40 years. Fakhruddin at the same point of time was also chosen as Delhi’s Naibe-Ghibat (Regent in absence). Owing to his stature and his reputation as a noble man, his period as a Kotwal was a long one. He held this position under 3 different Sultans namely Balban, Kaikobaad and Kaaikhusrau. Once, it is reported by several Turkish people in the city came to him with an intention to bribe him, Fakhruddin is reported to have said "My words will carry no weight if I accept any bribe from you”. It is usually presumed and accepted that the Kotwali was based in Qila Rai Pithora which is modern day Mehrauli.

History carries the mention of another famous Kotwal called Malik Alaul Mulk. His appointment was done by Sultan Alla-ud-din Khilji in 1297 AD. Sultan Alla-ud-din Khilji, who was a royal, is reported to have praised him by saying, "He deserves the Wizarat (Prime Ministership) but I have appointed him only the Kotwal of Delhi on account of' his incapacitating corpulence."

When the Mughal Emperor Shahejahan’s capital shifted to Delhi from Agra, in the year 1648, he chose Ghazznafar Khan to become the new city’s first Kotwal. He was also bestowed with the title of  Meer-i-Atish  who is the Artillery Chief.

When the 1857 revolt was crushed by the British, The system of Kotwals and Kotwalis came to sudden end. Delhi’s final Kotwal was appointed right prior to the outbreak of this war for Freedom. He was Gangadhhar Nehru, who was the father of Pandit Motilal Nehru and the grandfather of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

An Organised Set Up

• After the revolt was crushed, the proper organizational setup was established by the British. This was adopted after the British passed the Indian Police Act in the year 1861.Although it was made the Capital of India, Delhi still remained under the patronage of the Punjab Police. In 1912, Delhi’s first ever Chief Commissioner was selected and he was further blessed with the functionary powers of the Police’s Inspector General.
• According to the gazette of 1912, The District of Delhi was placed under the command of the Police DIG headquartered at the city of Ambala. The police in the district of Delhi was still under the command of the Superintendent of the Police.
• Back then, the total strength was of 2 Inspectors, 110 Head Constables, 27 Sub-inspectors, 985 Foot Constables and 28 Ghode Sawars.
• 4 road posts and 7 outer posts were also created.
• The city back then had merely three major Police stations which were at Sabzi Mandi, Paharganj and at Kotwali. In the Civil Lines area, the Reserve, The Armed Reserve and other recruits stayed in spacious barracks.

Post Independence

In the year 1946, Delhi Police’s strength was doubled as it was re organized. Due to the nation’s sad partition, a huge arrival of refugees led to a steep acceleration of the crime rate in the year 1948. On the 16th February 1948, Delhi’s first ever  IGP was selected and by the year 1951, Delhi Police’s combined strength swelled to around 8,000 , Including an IG of Police and 8 Superintendents of Police. In 1956, a deputy IG of Police was also added as a post. As Delhi’s population rose, the Delhi Police’s strength continuously increase and crossed 12,000 by 1961. Presently, Delhi Police has a sanctioned strength of 83,762.

1966 was a major year for the Delhi Police as the Indian Government formed the Delhi Police Commission which headed by Justice G. Khosla. The commission was supposed to investigate the problems that Delhi Police faced. The Khosla Commission issued a report basis which Delhi Police was again re-organised. North, South, New Delhi and Central Delhi were the new police districts which then came into existence. They also suggested the commissioner method which was overall adapted in 1978.