Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Private security guards take the place of ‘gurkhas’

Security Guards in Vijayawada.

VIJAYAWADA: Moving beyond the traditional practice of employing the all-too familiar and friendly gurkha for keeping a vigil through the night, many Residential Welfare Associations (RWAs) in the city are now engaging the services of uniform-clad private security guards for the job.

Notwithstanding the fact that the police have stepped up night patrol in residential areas, RWAs are keen on engaging security guards. Depending on requirement, each colony appoints two to four guards, who do their rounds from about 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. There are six reputable agencies in the city that provide trained security personnel.

“Our role was so far limited to sending security guards to shops and establishments. But in the recent past, many individuals and representatives of colony welfare associations are approaching us seeking men to guard their areas,” says S.V.R. Naidu, Vice President (operations) of OPDSS Securities. This city-based firm has on its rolls about 2,000 guards in the city.

“But, engaging a security guard is far more expensive than employing a gurkha. We send our guards only to those who can afford the charges,” Mr. Naidu explains. While a security guard will have to be paid Rs.4,000 a month for eight hours of duty each day, a gurkha is paid just about Rs.1,500 to Rs.2,000 a month. The RWAs make the payments pooling in contributions from each household.

G. Vijay Dutt, President of the CTO Colony welfare association that engages a gurkha for the night vigil, feels that the police patrol vehicles move only on main roads but not in colonies. “We make our own security arrangements as the police cannot patrol every nook and corner,” he says.

Agencies like People’s Security also encourage the use of electronic security systems, besides providing security personnel to guard houses. “Even if our clients are out of station, we monitor their houses from our control room. We can get an alert from the electronic alarm in the event of any attempt to trespass into the house.

Our personnel will reach the house within a few minutes and protect the property,” says Ch. Venkateswara Rao, director of the firm. Incidentally, while the police are not very enthusiastic about encouraging the citizens to engage private security guards, they strongly suggest use of electronic devices and ask people to inform the nearest police station if they are on a tour.

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