Following MiD DAY's report yesterday on inadequate security at three major bus depots in Pune, MSRTC now plans to install CCTVs, metal detectors to keep a tab on passengers
Following MiD DAY's report yesterday on inadequate security at three major bus depots in Pune, MSRTC now plans to install CCTVs, metal detectors to keep a tab on passengers Au00a0day after MiD Day's security audit in city bus stands found it to be virtually non-existent, officials from the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation said that plans are afoot to tighten security at major bus stands across the city.
A constable enquires about the abandoned bag at Shivaji Nagar bus stand
on Tuesday.
Officials at city's Shivaji Nagar bus depot, which was one of the spots surveyed by MiD DAY, said that a letter received from Anti-Terrorism Squad had instructed MSRTC to install CCTV cameras and other equipment to strengthen security at bus depots.
Shivaji Nagar was the depot where suspects in the German bakery blast case allegedly alighted with bombs and got away with no baggage checking.
"We have already made a proposal to our head office to get CCTV cameras for all the three major bus stations. More than 3,000 buses come into the city daily and it is important to have strong security apparatus to keep a tab on them. We are also considering proposals to install metal detectors frames at main entry and exit points," said S R Burunde, the depot manager.
On Tuesday, MiD DAY had left a bag at six different spots at three major bus depots in Shivaji Nagar, Pune station and Swargate and found that in most cases security personnel didn't even notice the bag. Where they did, they tried to open the bag on their own without informing senior staffers. Also, there was no system to check bags of passengers coming in and out of the bus depots.
When contacted MSRTC Managing Director Deepak Kapoor said proposals were on to tighten security and asked us to speak with R R Mangaonkar, chief security and vigilance officer for details. However, despite several attempts, the latter remained unavailable for comment.
Senior officials from MSRTC revealed that the department has faced a lot of flak after police investigations revealed the two terror suspects walked out of Shivaji Nagar bus stand with their bag and baggage, unchecked.
"So far only two policemen were posted on duty at these depots in the name of security. It is imperative to do something even if just to save face," Kapoor said.
1,700u00a0Average number of buses coming in and out of Swargate stand
800 Average number of buses coming in and out of Shivaji Nagar bus stand
300 Average number of buses coming in and out of Pune station
bus stand
1.5 lakh Average number of travellers coming in and out of the city daily
