Slew of measures on the anvil to make Allahabad HC a high-security zone

Another committee of various stake-holders,including senior police officers,will be assisting this committee to ensure that the plans are put in place within a short time frame. The local police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would ultimately implement the plan on ground.

The blueprint of the security paraphernalia for the High Court was discussed in a high-level meeting,in which members of the High Court Bar Association were also invited. Officers of the level of Additional Director General of various wings of the police also attended the meeting. Reliable sources said that there was consensus on most of the proposals but it would take a couple of more sittings to make the plan “implementable”.

A dense network of CCTVs to monitor the movement of people round-the-clock is also part of the security proposal.

“Issuing smart cards to the lawyers and the permanent staff is a must. Between 9.15 a.m. to 10 a.m.,we have to ensure that a large number of lawyers and permanent staff manage to get inside the premises so that they can begin their work on time and the public is not inconvenienced. If we take too long to deal with each individual,it will create a huge backlog. Also,we will have to take care of the dignity of the lawyers and try not to subject them to frequent frisking. Besides,there are 15,000 to 20,000 general people who require access to the court,” said a senior police officer,on condition of anonymity.

Also,added the officer,frisking or strictly regulating the entry of the litigants may harm the latter’s interest. “They come from virtually all parts of the state and a large number of them do not have enough means to put up at any hotel before coming to the High Court. So,we are looking at a system which can ensure safety without causing any trouble to the lawyers,litigants and other staff,” said the officer.

The initial proposal of acquiring two nazul plots near the High Court has been a virtual non-starter,as both these plots have been found to be in different stages of litigation. “As and when these plots are cleared of litigation,it will be an added advantage to us. But,at present,we are not banking on them,” said the officer,adding a proposal to regulate entry on Nawab Yusuf Road and G T Road—two parallel roads between which the High Court is located—was not feasible because stopping traffic movement on busy roads for too long would prove a major issue for traffic plan of the entire area.