City's safety pinch

We found serious security lapses after visiting many spotsu00a0-- from non-functional metal detectors, to unchecked entries, to total negligenceu00a0-- the city has it all

Even after the chief minister directing the city police to upgrade security in and around Bangalore in the wake of a possible terror strike, the response seems to be lukewarm. MiD DAY took a look at some of the city 'hot' spots, and this is what we found:


Pics/Satish Badiger and Sanjay MD

City railway station
Number of deployed personnel: 60 (at the main gate)
Security arrangements: Gate keeper, dog squad and metal detector
Number of footfalls: Over 3 lakh per day
The city railway station has two gates. The main gate has more than 60 police personnel and state police and dog squad regularly make their rounds.
We found: Back gate has no security personnel or metal detectors

Vidhana Soudha
Number of deployed personnel: Over 100
Security arrangements: Gatekeepers, metal detectors, CCTVs, outside and inside the premises
Number of footfalls: About 10,000 on working days
On the surface, the place seems more secure than any other locations we checked. But we spotted vehicles being just waved in, without real scrutiny. Visitors flash their identity cards and enter the premises.Keeping a possible terror strike in mind, 20 extra personnel have been deployed.
We found: If you have a vehicle and an identity card, you'll be simply waved in.u00a0

Karnataka High Court
Number of deployed personnel: 40
Security arrangements: Metal detectors inside the premises
Number of footfalls: About 10,000 on working days
After the murder of a woman lawyer in July, there were orders to increase security. But even after five months, no work has begun. PSI C M Ramegowda said, "We are managing with what we have."
We found: No metal detectors for checking vehicles

Kempegowda bus stand, Majestic
Number of deployed personnel: Two police personnel, a Hoysala vehicle and a Cheetah vehicle
Security arrangements: 2 metal detectors, no CCTVs
Number of footfalls: Over 5 lakh per day
City's most crowded bus stand is also the most exposed, with only two policemen and no private security. Though the bus stand has two metal detectors, they have been defunct since November. With over 10,000 city buses coming here everyday, it does not have a single CCTV. A traffic officer who did not wish to be named, said, "The metal detectors have not been working for the last few days, but will be repaired soon."
We found: No CCTV's; metal detectors have stopped working.

Shivajinagar bus stand
Number of deployed personnel: Two police personnel, a Hoysala vehicle and two Cheetahs
Security arrangements: 18 CCTVs
Number of footfalls: About 2 lakh per day
There is no entrance gate, and people can come in from any side.u00a0 Sujjan Rao Assistant Traffic Manager said, "We have enough security here with 18 CCTVs and a police patrol."
We found: Only two cops to keep an eye on over 2 lakh commuters.

KSRTC bus stand, Majestic
Number of deployed personnel: Five police and 10 private security personnel
Kind of security arrangements: Dog squad and metal detectors
Number of footfalls: Over 4 lakh per day
Around 10,000 buses (interstate included) go through this bus stand everyday.u00a0 But the bus stand has no gate at all, so commuters can go in or out unchecked.u00a0 The bus stand has three cops during the day and two at night. The metal detectors are hardly put to use.
We found: Metal detectors hardly used, No CCTV's.