Post-blasts, Rlys to introduce Integrated Security System

The recent spate of bomb blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad has, somewhat ironically, expedited what years of arguments...

The recent spate of bomb blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad has, somewhat ironically, expedited what years of arguments from the Railways Protection Force RPF could not.

Having sat over it for months, the Railways Ministry has given an 8220;in-principle8221; nod to RPF8217;s proposal to evolve an Integrated Security System at sensitive railway stations across the country, at a recently held meeting, say top ministry officials. The ministry has further agreed to buy necessary security equipment wherever necessary. 8220;Formal instructions to this effect are likely to issued shortly,8221; a senior railway official told The Indian Express.

Under the plan, the ministry is likely to outsource the installation, operation and maintenance of security-related equipment like vehicle scanners, CCTVs, X-Ray baggage screeners, door frame metal detectors DFMDs and explosive detectors to private players in lieu of granting them advertising rights for a fixed tenure. For some railway stations, the ministry plans to sanction outright purchase of these equipment. Estimates suggest that installing these systems would cost the Railways Rs 5 crore per station. About 150 stations will be covered to begin with.

The RPF, officials said, have already zeroed in on the best technologies available worldwide to implement this plan. 8220;For instance, we plan to have CCTVs equipped with software which allow recording and storing of images. Similarly, we are proposing high-end vehicle scanners to scan the vehicle floors as soon as they enter the main gate of a station,8221; an official said, adding that operation and maintenance of the equipment would have to be guaranteed by the providers.

Despite RPF batting strongly to implement this proposal for months now, the Railway Board, on some pretext or the other, has failed to take a decision on the matter in the past. But this time round, what helped the ministry decide in favour of the proposal is the response the RPF got to an Expression of Interest EOI it recently floated seeking private players to execute the Integrated Security Systems at major stations.

8220;As many as 43 players responded to our EOI. The who8217;s who in the business, including players like Tata, BEL, ECIL, Wipro and HCL, have evinced interest in the proposal,8221; a top railway official said. 8220;All players have made detailed presentations over the past few weeks and we have been able to identify the best available technology worldwide which can work well in Indian conditions,8221; he added.