Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will soon have armed guards at the five octroi posts in the city to keep a watch on goods entering the city limits. The proposal of deputing guards at octroi posts was approved in a meeting between octroi and security departments on Tuesday. With rise in cases of octroi evasion and anti-social elements threatening the civic officials,the octroi department had demanded a security cover of 100 armed guards at the posts. We have agreed to provide the security at the posts. However,for now we will depute one armed guard in each shift at the posts, said Additional Municipal Commissioner Mahadeo Sangle. With BMC possessing only 25 arms licenses so far,the civic officials said that due to the shortage of arm licenses,it wont be possible to depute 100 armed guards at the octroi posts. We will have to undertake the assessment of the security department and accordingly provide armed guards at nakas. After the 26/11 attacks,security has been beefed at all the civic establishments and we will not be able to spare the number of guards demanded by the octroi department. But we will try and provide maximum guards at the posts, said a senior civic official. Officials from octroi department said that in the last few days there have been vehicles carrying garbage that enters the city after 2 am. In the pile,they hide expensive goods to evade octroi. Since there is no security at the odd hours,the staff feels scared to risk their lives, said an official. ENS
