Mumbai, November 19: From a handful of secret vantage positions concealed from the concourse below, police personnel watch over the hurly burly of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, armed and ready.
A year since Mumbai’s most audacious terror attack, the heritage railway terminus has been turned into a fortress of sorts, the emphasis on discreet measures that many commuters will not notice.
“Some important places have been chosen, hidden from the public glare and from where police can open fire on a target. For security reasons these locations cannot be disclosed,” said a top railway official. Besides these, there are three visible bunkers in the concourse and near the entrance, manned round the clock.
A year ago, the suburban stations along Central Railway had 300 closed-circuit TV cameras installed. That number is now 875. At CST itself, there are 104 CCTV cameras, up from 64.
Also in the security plan are aspects such as regular weapons training for personnel, and checking and cleaning of weapons to ensure that these work in any eventuality. “Previously, police personnel were sent for firing practice once a year. That has been increased to seven days now, and along with the range classification, musketry training is also given so that personnel learn about weapons and their parts. Every week, a team of 100 is being sent for training to the firing range at Khurdwadi, Solapur,” said S Parhi, senior divisional security commissioner, Railway Protection Force.
Every railway police station is now also getting visits from personnel who check the arms and advise repairs wherever necessary. “If there is a major fault, these arms are sent for repair to the main centre of the armoury in Dahod,” said Parhi.
A team of RPF personnel with two sniffer dogs each has been deputed at CST and Churchgate, for 24 hours. Also, there are now 50 marshals on CR’s suburban section, dressed in black and with AK-47 or Insas rifles, often visible in CST’s main concourse.
Some loopholes remain, however: The P D’Mello Road entrance to CST is still unguarded, with just two RPF and GRP
personnel have been deputed here. There is no luggage scanner at this entry gate.
“On WR too, some important locations have been chosen at certain stations, so that our police can have surveillance over the station area,” said Shyam Sunder Gupta, chief public relations officer, WR.
Tukaram Chavan, Commissioner of Railway Police, said, “Things have changed. After 26/11, police responsibility has increased. We are mentally and physically prepared to face any crisis.”
—–Agencies