Pune rampage: Poor security at Swargate ST depot

The Wednesday’s incident of Santosh Mane driving a ST bus from the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation’s (MSRTC) depot in Swargate  subsequently killing 10 people and injuring 29 others, has once again raised  questions about lack of proper security at the terminus.

There were only two security guards deployed at the Swargate bus stand and they proved inadequate in stopping their own staffer.

Now, it is being said that if the security personnel at the depot could not stop their own bus driver, how they will be able to avert a terror attack on the ST depot which is one of the biggest ST depots in the state?

The Swargate bus depot has a fleet of 115 buses. Apart from their own buses, the Swargate ST depot witnesses operation of 1,450 buses every day. To guard these buses as well as the other property of MSRTC, the transport body has appointed only four security guards. Of them, two work during the day while two others work in the night.

Senior depot manager of Swargate bus depot Vijay Divate said, “The MSRTC has appointed four security guards. Apart from these guards, the police have provided four armed policemen who also work in two shifts. When Mane was driving out the bus, two guards were standing at the exit point on Shankarsheth Road while the other two were guarding the area at the entry point on Market Yard Road. The policemen present at the exit point tried to stop Mane, but he speeded up and went out.’’

After the incident, activists of different political parties reached the Swargate bus depot and demonstrated against poor security arrangements.

The party workers said that a ST driver had created ruckus in the city and the security personnel could not stop him. If a terrorist attack takes place at the depot, many innocent people will have to lose their lives due to the apathy of MSRTC officials, they said.