Hyderabad, Sep 9 (IANS): Senior IPS officer C. V. Anand, who assumed office as the Police Commissioner of Hyderabad on Monday, said easing traffic congestion and controlling the drug menace are among his priorities.

He told media persons after taking charge as the commissioner of Hyderabad for the second time, he said he would try to intensify the operations of the Hyderabad Narcotic Enforcement Wing (H-NEW) to control drug menace and improve law & order through effective policing and crime control measures.

Anand, who had earlier served as the Police Commissioner from December 2021 to October 2023, said his immediate tasks would be to ensure peaceful conduct of Ganesh festival and Milad-un-Nabi.

"In the city police bandobast, other events are usually considered as quarterfinals and semifinals. Ganesh bandobust is the final and I am sure all officers will rise to the occasion," he said.

During the previous term, Anand was credited with introducing a series of significant IT initiatives and reforms.

Setting up the Command and Control Centre, the reorganisation of city police, setting up H-NEW, and appointing women Inspectors as SHOs were among the initiatives taken by him.

Thanking Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for giving him the key responsibility for the second time, he said he would hold meetings with officials to ensure all necessary arrangements for the peaceful conduct of the Ganesh immersion procession on September 17 and Milad procession on September 19.

Anand succeeded K. Sreenivasa Reddy, who has been posted as Director General of Vigilance & Enforcement.

Reddy was appointed as the Commissioner on December 12, 2023, in the first major reshuffle after the Congress came to power. On December 19, 2023, Anand was posted as Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

During the Assembly elections in October 2023, the Election Commission of India had ordered the transfer of some police officers including then Hyderabad Commissioner Anand. Sandeep Shandilya was appointed the Commissioner.

A 1991 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IPS officer, Anand held several key posts. In the initial stage of his career, he served in Maoist-affected districts of now Telangana. He survived multiple encounters with Maoist insurgents. His bravery and leadership were recognised with the President’s Gallantry Medal in 2002. Anand also served as Police Commissioner of Vijayawada and Cyberabad.