“The proposal is to merge Mira-Bhayander and Vasai-Virar into the Thane Police Commissionerate for the time being. A separate commissionerate could be formed later, which can be turned into a separate coastal police commissionerate or a commissionerate on the lines of Navi Mumbai, which was earlier part of the Thane Police Commissionerate,” said Director General of police (DGP) Dr P S Pasricha.

“It would be feasible to merge it with the Thane Police Commissionerate (initially), as over a period of time we would be able to set up infrastructure if the new commissionerate is created.”

While it’s still not clear when the government plans to merge Mira-Bhayander and Vasai-Virar with the Thane Police Commissionerate, sources said that order is likely to come by the end of this month.

According to Thane Police Commissioner D Sivanandan, the state government was considering the proposal for merging the western belt of the Thane district with the Thane Commissionerate.

According to the proposal, after the proposed merger, seven police stations—Mira Road, Kashimira, Bhayander, Vasai, Virar, Manikpur and Nalasopara—currently part of the Thane Rural police would come under Thane Police Commissioner.

Also, the entire area would be treated like a region with an officer of the rank of a Deputy Inspector General (Additional Commissioner of Police) heading it and two Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) assisting the DIG.

“But a separate commissionerate would be not feasible for the time being. The government has to establish a different set-up like headquarters, a separate force and a separate commissioner. Instead, it would be better for them to align it to the existing set-up of the Thane police commissionerate,” added Sivanandan.

Another reason, which a senior police officer from the Thane Rural police pointed out, was, “The population of the proposed area is urban and so are the crimes. The powers which the commissioner gets in a commissionerate are much more than powers conferred on a superintendent of police in a district.”