01 April,2011 11:15 AM IST | | Urvashi Seth
Hotel and surrounding area fortified to secure World Cup finalists' stay. Shopkeepers call treatment fair as cops rule out parking for Taj as well
With intelligence inputs seeping in that terror group Indian Mujahideen may be planning a Lahore-style attack in Mumbai ahead of the Cup finale, cops have buttressed security at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Colaba.
The Indian and Sri Lankan teams will be staying at the hotel, before they descend for the final at Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
Cops have already restricted the entry of private vehicles in the area surrounding the hotel
But this time, the security guidelines are equal for all, be it the Taj hotel or the shops flanking it.
Police have already restricted entry of private vehicles anywhere near the hotel until the day after the match, and have suspended the harbour cruise, that sets sail from near the hotel, keeping in mind the security of the Sri lankan team that arrived at the hotel on Wednesday. All the 560 rooms of the hotel are reportedly booked for the finals.
As MiD DAY reported earlier ('Bus drivers will be put through checks', March 2), BCCI officials had plans of hiring bulletproof coaches for the players.
However, since the city doesn't have such coaches and importing them would lighten the Board's pockets considerably, it was forced to give up the idea.
Instead, it decided to take extra precautionary measures for the players by way of air-tight security.
First for Taj
According to sources, the Taj has been asked to remove all its vehicles parked in the vicinity, and, for the first time, no private tourist vehicle will be allowed inside until the day after the match. Guests will have to walku00a0 to the hotel from Regal Cinema. Authorities have also banned walk-ins at the hotel till Sunday.
Owners of the little shops around the hotel felt they had been handed a raw deal during the visits of the French and the US heads of state late last year, as they were roped off and asked to remain shut, even though guests to the Taj were allowed entry in vehicles.
But they find things fair this time around. Asif Tanki, who owns a store behind the Taj, said, "On Tuesday night, we were briefed that till April 3, we should not park our vehicles near the hotel. All the lanes are cordoned off. But at least this time, the cops are unbiased and have restricted entry of private vehicles to the hotel as well," he said.
Tanki takes the credit for this. "This seems to be an impact of our protest against the partiality shown towards the hotel the last few times," he said. As reported by MiD DAY ('Not again', February 26), residents and shopkeepers were peeved at the cops' decision to set up barricades outside the Taj for the security of its VVIP guests.
Then, Tanki and his associates had addressed a letter with a signature campaign to the police and the hotel authorities appealing that the barricades to the lanes housing their shops be removed.
No boat ride
But, not everyone can be kept content. The security measures off the coast have upset ferry owners as cops have stopped the harbour cruise until April 3.
Many tourists favour the 45-minute boat ride from jetty number four. "The cruise and the ferry to Elephanta caves has been stopped.
Only those going to Alibaug beach are permitted to go near the jetty. The rest will be sent back. Those working in areas around the Gateway will be checked for identification proof.
u00a0
Community toilets have been closed," said a ferryboat owner, adding that they are always on the losing side thanks to the hotel's A-list
guests.
