The Hindu : Front Page : Security in banks far from satisfactory

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 27, 2006
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Security in banks far from satisfactory

L. Srikrishna

SEEKING COOPERATION: Police interact with bankers of the Triplicane area.

CHENNAI: Security in banks in Triplicane district, which has one of the highest concentration of bank branches in the city, is far from satisfactory, a police study has found.

An analysis of the questionnaire circulated among bankers in the district revealed that 72 branches did not have any arrangement to monitor the movement of customers or prevent them from carrying of weapons/hazardous articles into the bank. As many as 39 branches did not post guards at the entry/exit points, while four branches employed security staff on a part-time basis for the night.

Only six of the 80 branches have installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) on their premises. At a time when there are reports of people losing money and other valuables to tricksters who stake out banks, police feel that electronic gadgets that would help in tracking criminals are absolutely essential.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Triplicane) M. Ramasubramani told The Hindu on Sunday that Triplicane district police had conducted a security review meeting the other day as part of efforts to encourage banker-police cooperation.

The questionnaire focussed on the safety of the building, proper illumination at night, availability of a strongroom, armed guards at the entry/exit points and whether banks had installed CCTVs or burglar alarms. The bankers were asked whether they conducted periodic vetting of security personnel and coordinated with the police. The Triplicane police have jurisdiction over Anna Salai, Zam Bazaar, Anna Square, Chintadripet, Egmore, Nungambakkam, Thousand Lights, Choolaimedu and Triplicane.

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