Though it beefed up security at Swargate depot on Friday, the deserted premises and unmanned buses told a different story.
Waking up from its deep slumber after the episode of Santosh Mane’s wild ride last Wednesday, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) on Friday deployed private security guards at the Swargate ST depot.
Mane, whose death race claimed eight lives and left 39 people injured, had managed to steal an MSRTC bus parked at the Swargate depot without much obstruction.
On the day of the incident, there were only two security guards deployed at the Swargate bus stand and they proved inadequate in stopping their own staffer.
DNA had published a report on January 26 highlighting the poor security arrangements at the Swargate bus depot.
Taking a serious note of the security arrangements at the depot, MSRTC officials appointed five additional security guards for the Swargate depot. Two of the five guards joined their duties from Friday morning.
Vijay Divate, senior depot manager, Swargate depot, told DNA, “The MSRTC head office had given a green signal to appoint five security guards from a private security company. So, we selected five guards from the Pune District Security Guard Board. Two of the guards joined their duties from today. The other three will also join work in a couple of days.”
With the new additions, the Swargate bus depot will have
seven security guards and four policemen. “These guards are deployed at entry and exit points of the depot to keep watch on the movement of buses. They will also keep a close watch on the buses parked inside the depot during the halting period. Besides, they will not allow any private vehicle to enter the depot. They will also not allow any illegal parking at the entrance of the depot,” Divate said.
Along with these private security guards, the MSRTC has also appointed four additional traffic controllers, who will monitor the movement of the buses at the depot.
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