Lax Keltron puts Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple at risk

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keltron’s shoddy handling of the integrated security system for Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple has seriously compromised the surveillance of a temple said to hold treasure worth hundreds of crores in its underground vaults. Even the night-vision binoculars purchased by Keltron for the police manning the temple were found unsuitable. The electronics major’s lapses come across as serious in the light of revelations that diamonds worth over Rs 20 lakh had gone missing from the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple.

It was on October 27, 2012, that the state government had approved Keltron’s proposal for installing seven speed folding doors as part of the integrated security system. An advance payment of Rs 9.54 crore was also made to the company. Keltron, however, could not complete the installation. The doors were designed as additional fortification in front of the existing wooden gates. The doors, if an alarm is sounded, can be closed from the security control room in a few seconds. Since the doors were not installed, the next line of defence, the seismic sensors, was also not raised.

The sensors were to be installed in trenches around the sanctum sanctorum. They would have prevented the temple’s underground chambers from any subterranean attack. The reason cited by Keltron for not installing the doors was that the Executive Committee of the Temple did not grant it permission to install the folding doors. Fact is, Keltron did not obtain permission from the Thanthri, which was mandatory for any changes to be made inside the temple. The binoculars purchased by Keltron were also found wanting.