7 years on, Maharashtra security still not airtight

Mumbai: Seven years after Mumbai witnessed multiple terror attacks, the city’s security still has a few loopholes. The recommendations made by the Pradhan committee have not been followed. No coastal police stations have been put up and the marine police too has not been given sufficient amount of training. The Pradhan committee was set up by the state government to probe the response to the 26/11 attacks.

According to a top official in crime branch, the government had decided to install CCTV cameras across the city to keep a close eye on terror or anti-national activities. This was planned keeping in mind that a noted terrorist organisation, Lashkar E Tayyaba always intended to target India and especially Mumbai, the government gave a contract for CCTV cameras to Larsen & Turbo company. Even though a few cameras were installed in South Mumbai this week, it took them seven years to accomplish this. Earlier, Maharashtra additional chief secretary for home K.P. Bakshi had said that by 2016, the entire city would be put under the surveillance of CCTV cameras.

According to the security experts, the 2008 Mumbai attack had occurred due to lapses in intelligence network, and even now the intelligence network in Maharashtra is weak. “The special branch SB of Mumbai police is responsibe for gathering intelligence informations, and Ram Pradhan committee recommmended it to make a strong unit, but the process of deploying officials in this unit is going on at a snail’s pace,” commented a senior IPS official.

According to the report of the Ram Pradhan Committee, before the attack of 26/11, a few inputs were received by security agencies but they were not taken seriously. A special team called ‘Force One’ was also formed by the state government after being inspired by National Security Guard, but after seven years, several posts are still lying vacant in ‘Force One’.

According to an official of Indian Coast Guard, “For 26/11 attacks, Kasab and his accomplices entered in the city via sea, after which coastal security has raised as a big concern for us. The government has announced a few coastal police stations as well as a few speed boats to patrol these areas but no speed boat has been provided yet. Also, from 2008 to till date only five bulletproof speed boats have been purchased.”

According to the sources, even these boats were reported for their technical faults. Also, there are only 27 boats deployed to patrol the coastal area of at least 117 kms, and even out of these a few are out of order, said the sources.