LUCKNOW, March 7 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said improved law and order since 2017 transformed Uttar Pradesh from a riot-prone region into a safer destination for development, and law and order became an election issue for the first time in a democracy, attributing the change to improvements in policing and security, stated a release from the CM media cell. Speaking at the Lok Bhavan auditorium after flagging off 50 Quick Response Team (QRT) motorcycles for the UP Police, Adityanath said development was only possible when people and their assets were secure. The motorcycles were provided to the police by the Honda India Foundation to strengthen rapid response and improve public safety. The CM said strengthening security was the first condition for development and credited the state police for contributing to UP's emergence as a major growth engine of the Indian economy. Highlighting improvements in police mobility, he said the number of police response vehicles (PRVs) had increased from around 9,500 in 2017 to more than 15,500 at present. Similarly, the number of two-wheelers with the police rose from about 3,000 to over 9,200, significantly reducing response time during emergencies. Referring to the concept of model policing emphasised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister said infrastructure, technology and mobility were the three key pillars required to modernise policing. Adityanath said the police department earlier faced severe infrastructure deficiencies, including outdated weapons, inadequate facilities and dilapidated barracks, where personnel were forced to stay. "Today, in 55 districts, the tallest buildings are the barracks for police personnel, equipped with improved residential facilities," he said, adding that model police stations and modern fire stations were also being developed across the state to strengthen emergency response systems. The CM also highlighted the expansion of police training infrastructure in the state. He said in 2017, UP had the capacity to train only around 3,000 personnel at a time, which posed a challenge when large-scale recruitment began. Through coordination with other states, the armed forces and paramilitary training institutions, the training capacity was gradually increased to nearly 30,000. Senior officials present at the event included chief secretary SP Goyal, additional chief secretary (home) Sanjay Prasad, director general of police Rajeev Krishna, ADG (logistics) Ram Kumar and ADG (l&o) Amitabh Yash....