The Hindu : New Delhi News : Need to upgrade security infrastructure in Delhi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 12, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Need to upgrade security infrastructure in Delhi

A timely detection of terrorists' strikes can help save life and property, observes Prashant Pandey

The Capital has always been a prime target of terrorists and the arrest of two alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba militants on Thursday was yet another reiteration of the fact. And with terrorism here to stay, it is imperative that the security infrastructure in the Capital is upgraded in a holistic manner.

Primarily, upgrading security infrastructure would entail installing state-of-the-art detection and identification gadgets at strategic places, training of personnel in charge of such places and a well-oiled communication network. Also, an efficient disaster management apparatus has to be in place to deal with any major act of terrorism.

Some steps have already been undertaken. For instance, many big markets in the Capital are now equipped with Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and the process is on in others. Similar is the case with the Delhi Metro and major temples in the Capital. However, an important gadget like X-ray scanner has not yet been provided to the security personnel at Metro Rail stations.

There is little doubt that acts of terrorism cannot be prevented by simply installing gadgets. Pre-empting terrorists' strikes requires an intelligence apparatus that can effectively track down those planning to inflict a heavy damage on life and property in the Capital. But it is mostly a cat-and-mouse game between the intelligence agencies and the terrorists.

Time and again terrorists have managed to escape the eyes of the intelligence agencies and struck, as it were, almost at will. It is for such situations that a sound security infrastructure may help in at least reducing the damage considerably. A timely detection can, of course, help save life and property.

But the authorities handling security infrastructure in the Capital seem to react only after a major incident, the biggest example being the Parliament attack that led to an unprecedented up-gradation of security arrangements for Parliament. Further, the markets in the Capital are being equipped with CCTVs only after the serial blasts rocked the Capital on October 29, 2005.

Whether the intelligence agencies failed in preventing these terrorist acts may be a point of debate. But these incidents really stunned the security agencies and jolted everybody concerned into taking some concrete steps to enhance security. But now, with terrorist activities on the rise all around and the Indian agencies being warned by their counterparts in other countries, those at the helm cannot take the plea that they were unaware. In the long term, therefore, the authorities will have to think of ways to stay a step ahead of the terrorists and not vice versa. Constantly upgrading detection technology at places like railway stations and airports, for instance, could be one of the ways to do so.

However, upgrading security infrastructure does not only mean installation of sophisticated gadgets or training of personnel handling the same. The authorities would do well to take note of the fact that apart from the overt attacks, terrorists also continue to carry out covert activities within the Capital. They plant sleeper agents who take their own time to acquire Indian identities and then help their fellow-terrorists in transfer of funds and transportation of arms and ammunitions.

During all this, they take advantage of the fact that they manage to procure important documents from the civic agencies with ease. Such a lax system will only embolden the terrorists who know that they would get away with virtually anything.

Thus up-gradation of security infrastructure in the Capital should have at least two components. One of these would, of course, pertain to security gadgets, trained personnel and the works. The other component would entail developing technologies and a system that could easily detect false information, forged documents and also help the security agencies in cross-checking information with other States.

A strong intelligence network and use of sophisticated technologies should constitute an effective deterrence against terrorists in the long run.

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