The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : IT hubs to be high security zones

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 30, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

IT hubs to be high security zones

Vikram Sharma

Cyberabad police plan to check subversive activities

HI-TECH WORRIES: The police are keen to adopt a comprehensive development plan to maintain order in Madhapur and Gachibowli areas. - Photo: A. Roy Chowdhury

HYDERABAD: The Cyberabad police have initiated plans to convert Madhapur and Gachibowli areas, hubs of software development companies of the State, into high security zones to check any kind of subversive activities.

As a first step in that direction, the Cyberabad Police Commissioner, M. Mahendar Reddy, held a series of meetings with the managements of software firms.

"We are not just discussing security. The basic effort is to improve infrastructure facilities like roads and power in these areas, besides traffic management. A comprehensive development plan has to be adopted to help the police maintain order," he said. About 1,000 software firms, including several global players, have their offices at Madhapur and Gachibowli.

Help desks

According to sources, a check-post or a help desk is being planned at every 300 metres in the areas, each of which would be manned round the clock jointly by the police and private security agencies. Besides having modern communication facilities, the check-posts will have drop gates. There is also a plan to introduce electronic barricading to ensure that all roads are closed at the press of a button.

Sources say that the software firms have been asked to bear the expenses of employing private security and the necessary gadgets.

"First, we are looking at developing good infrastructure. Traffic management is the main requirement. We do not want intruders have a freeway here. We have to ensure that our installations and people are secure," says a senior manager of a software firm, who was present at the meeting convened by the Cyberabad police. He said the police, private security agencies and the software firms were chalking out a detailed plan in tandem.

The Cyberabad Commissioner said officials of various departments like Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, APTransco and Transport department were part of the meetings. So far, six such meetings have been convened, wherein issues like road widening, parking lots/junctions and having private security figured.

Almost all software firms in the areas have closed circuit television on their premises. "Once we get the APIIC clearance, we will go ahead with the plans," representatives of software companies assured the Cyberabad police.

However, the Cyberabad Police Commissioner clarified that there was no immediate threat to the software installations.

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