Gujarat Police set for major reshuffle, new ranges and commissionerates on the cards

A major administrative reshuffle is being planned in the Gujarat Police, with proposals for a new Gandhinagar Police Commissionerate, a Zone-8 DCP office in Ahmedabad, and new ranges covering Mehsana and Kutch–Morbi. The restructuring is tied to the shift from the superintendent of police (SP) system to a commissionerate model in Gandhinagar.

Officials indicate that the changes could raise the number of Range inspector generals of police (IGPs) in the state from nine to ten. “Efforts are underway to operationalise the Gandhinagar Commissionerate soon,” sources said, though the plan has been pending for three years.

Gandhinagar Commissionerate to take shape

Approval has already been granted for the Gandhinagar Police Commissionerate, which may also include some parts of Kadi. At present, the Gandhinagar SP oversees not only the city but also Kalol, Mansa, and Dehgam talukas. In practice, this has often stretched resources, with officers covering both urban policing and rural law-and-order duties. Under the Commissionerate model, these talukas could be reorganised into a separate zone, giving the Commissioner direct control. A security branch deputy commissioner of police (DCP) is also expected to report into the new structure.

Officials say the reorganisation will bring Gandhinagar in line with Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot, which already function under Commissionerates, marking a significant administrative shift for the state capital.

Reorganisation of ranges

The reshuffle proposes carving out new ranges:

Kutch–Morbi Range: East and West Kutch SPs, excluded from the Border Range, could be combined with Morbi. This would create a dedicated IGP post for the Kutch Parliamentary constituency, with closer supervision of sensitive border and coastal areas.

Mehsana Range: Patan and Banaskantha, along with the newly formed Tharad district and Mehsana, may be grouped under a new Border Range IGP or formed into a separate Mehsana Range.

If implemented, these changes will shift the current arrangement of 34 SPs under 9 Range IGPs, restructuring the Border Range and redistributing its districts.

Currently, Gujarat Police functions under nine ranges headed by inspector generals of police (IGPs). Each range covers multiple districts, as listed below.

• Ahmedabad Range: Ahmedabad Rural, Kheda, Anand SPs
• Vadodara Range: Vadodara Rural, Bharuch, Narmada, Chhota Udepur SPs
• Gandhinagar Range: Gandhinagar, Sabarkantha, Mehsana, Aravalli SPs
• Valsad Range: Valsad SP
• Rajkot Range: Rajkot Rural, Jamnagar, Surendranagar, Dwarka, Morbi SPs
• Junagadh Range: Junagadh, Porbandar, Gir-Somnath SPs
• Bhavnagar Range: Bhavnagar, Amreli, Botad SPs
• Dahod–Panchmahal Range: Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar SPs
• Border Range: West Kutch, East Kutch, Patan, Banaskantha SPs

Under the proposed restructuring, East and West Kutch would move out of the Border Range and, along with Morbi, form the new Kutch–Morbi Range. Patan, Banaskantha and Mehsana could be brought together under a separate range.

In Gujarat’s police structure, a “range” refers to a regional unit covering multiple districts under an inspector general of police (IGP), while a “zone” is an urban subdivision within a Commissionerate, overseen by a deputy commissioner of police (DCP).

Ahmedabad may get Zone-8

Ahmedabad city, which currently has seven DCP zones, could see the addition of an eighth. The demand for an additional zone has been on the table for several years, driven by population growth, rapid construction, and the expansion of the city’s municipal boundaries. 

Areas such as Bopal, Sola, Sarkhej, and Bodakdev, which now fall under the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation limits, have seen rising residential and commercial density. These localities currently fall under different zones, creating overlapping jurisdictional issues. Senior officers believe a dedicated Zone-8 DCP would help streamline policing, reduce pressure on existing zones, and allow quicker response in the western corridor of the city.

If approved, Ahmedabad would become the first city in Gujarat to have eight DCP zones, underscoring the scale of its growth compared with other urban centres in the state.

The move follows population growth and the city’s continued expansion, with senior officials stressing the need for “robust supervision and management of law and order.”

Challenges in Kutch and Banaskantha

The changes could create practical issues for police personnel. Around 70% of police posted in Kutch district currently hail from Banaskantha and Patan, many of them women. With new range boundaries, transfers closer to home may become more difficult. Personnel would have to seek approval at the DGP level if inter-district transfers fall under different Range IGP jurisdictions, according to discussions in police circles.

Pending approvals

Implementation of the Gandhinagar Commissionerate, Zone-8 DCP office, and new ranges will depend on central government approval for salaries and technical grants. Until then, the proposals remain under final review by the state government.