###Kota GRP Police and Detainees Face Health Hazards

Mess Running in Dilapidated Quarters Raises Serious Concerns

By K.D. Abbasi
Kota, April 21, 2025

The mess facility of Kota GRP Police—responsible for security across railway trains, platforms, and boundaries—is operating in an extremely unhygienic and dangerous condition, posing a severe health risk to both police personnel and detainees. The mess is being run from a dilapidated old railway quarter near Platform No. 4, adjacent to the old Railway Middle School in the Kota Junction railway colony.

Police personnel, despite their round-the-clock duty, are forced to eat in a space where dirty surroundings, crumbling ceilings, and absence of basic facilities like toilets and clean drinking water make every meal feel like a punishment. Cooks and staff constantly face threats from poisonous insects. The structure is so weak it could collapse any moment, with no signs of renovation or maintenance in years. Dirty drains nearby emit foul odors, and stray animals have made the courtyard their resting place.

There is no proper seating—officers sit on rusty tin drums with broken benches to place their plates, often leading to injuries. About 50-60 police personnel rely on this mess daily, including staff from various districts like Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Ajmer, Jodhpur, and Bharatpur. Food for detainees at the GRP station is also prepared here.

The mess lacks fans or shade—cooking is done in the open under the scorching sun. During the monsoon, since the room level is below the road, dirty water enters the premises, worsening the hygiene.

Upon witnessing the appalling state firsthand, GRP Deputy Superintendent Shankarlal Meena—known for his honesty and dedication—has taken the initiative to reform the mess conditions. Meena, previously credited for systematic developments like the new DSP office, Collectorate and Kherli Fatak police outposts, has now vowed to improve this mess and ensure better health and dignity for GRP personnel.