The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Are bus stations soft targets?

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Saturday, Sep 01, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Are bus stations soft targets?

S. Sandeep Kumar

Security measures at Imlibun and Jubilee negligible

PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

Risky affair: Security measures are inadequate at one of the Asia’s biggest bus station, Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, which caters to one lakh commuters daily. -

HYDERABAD: Handful of security guards wandering around with sticks, no frisking, no checking, no surveillance…practically there are no visible security measures at the Asia’s biggest bus station - Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station at Imlibun.

The scene is no different at the APSRTC other big terminal –Jubilee Bus Station in Secunderabad on Friday. While every other department is upping the security ante in the aftermath of twin blasts last week, APSRTC seems to be oblivious to security measures despite public transport being most vulnerable to such incidents.

Incidentally, the MGBS had received two bomb hoax calls twice early this year and it has about a lakh passengers using the facility every day with 2,800 bus departures. Yet, it has only 12 private security guards and 10 other personnel drawn from its Security and Vigilance Department working in three shifts.

At the JBS, the RTC has just six private security guards headed by an Inspector when at least 20,000 passengers make use of the station to go to far flung places. In contrast, the railway authorities have swung into action and have already installed surveillance cameras at the Secunderabad Railway Station.

However, APSRTC’s Security and Vigilance Director T. Krishna Prasad claimed that a security audit has been conducted with the Commissioner of Police following which it was decided to deploy additional security forces at both its main bus terminals of MGBS and JBS.

Apart from the existing sub-control room, a new cell comprising officers from the police, traffic and RTC would be established within a couple of days, he said.

There are also plans to install surveillance cameras and door frame metal detectors besides also deploying two ‘Rakshak’ vehicles for ensuring security, he added.

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