Maharashtra Govt Approves New Belapur Police Division In Navi Mumbai Ahead Of Airport & Infrastructure Boom

Navi Mumbai: In a strategic move to address the growing law-and-order demands of a rapidly expanding city, the Maharashtra Government has approved a major restructuring of the Navi Mumbai Police Commissionerate. A new Belapur Division (Zone-2) will be carved out from the existing setup, bringing the total to three Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) divisions — Vashi, Belapur, and Panvel.

The decision, formalized in a Government Resolution issued by the Home Department on July 23, comes in response to rising challenges including increasing population, urban expansion, and mounting pressure on traffic regulation — particularly in light of the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, associated infrastructure development, and growing vehicular movement in and around the airport corridor.

As per the restructuring plan, the Commissionerate will now be reorganized with Vashi as Zone-1, Belapur as the newly created Zone-2, and Panvel as Zone-3.

The new Belapur Division will include three newly sanctioned posts — one Deputy Commissioner of Police and two Assistant Commissioners of Police. A budget of Rs 38.18 lakh has been approved for these positions, which will be drawn from the department’s sanctioned annual grant.

The Navi Mumbai Police Commissionerate was originally established on November 19, 1994, with eight police stations carved out from Thane Commissionerate's Zone-5. It was later expanded in 2006 with the addition of Panvel Taluka Police Station from Raigad. Over the years, the Commissionerate functioned with two zones and four Assistant Commissioner offices — Panvel, Port, Turbhe, and Vashi.

Currently covering a jurisdiction of 688 square kilometers and serving a population estimated between 58 and 60 lakh, the Commissionerate has faced growing demands due to expanding residential zones, industrial hubs, port activity, educational institutions, and significantly increased traffic. The development of the Navi Mumbai International Airport in Ulwe and rapid urbanization around it has further emphasized the need for improved and decentralized policing.

“The allocation of police stations under each zone is expected to be finalized in the coming days. Recruitment for the new posts, setup of necessary office infrastructure, and distribution of resources will be carried out in phases. Details such as contact numbers, office addresses, and jurisdiction boundaries for the new Belapur Division will be announced soon,” a police officer attached to Navi Mumbai Commissionerate, said.