Six months after police chief D Sivanandhan warned of a possible terror attack on Mumbai’s latest icon, the Bandra Worli Sea Link, its owner, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), has set up a committee to tighten security on and around the 4.7 km-long sea bridge. A few security companies from India, as well as Israel, have expressed interest in the project which is likely to cost Rs25 crore.
“The committee will consist of additional commissioner of police (protection and security) Naval Bajaj, joint commissioner of police (traffic) Sanjay Barve, vice chairman, managing director, as well as the joint managing director of MSRDC, along with a senior officer of the National Security Guards. MSRDC chief engineer Sharad Sabnis will be the committee secretary,” said a senior MSRDC official.
The committee will decide which items need to be procured for
the securing. “The one-time expense will be borne by MSRDC. We will have a gantry scanner on the sea link toll plaza. In addition, a rubburised jetty will be installed at the Worli end, a 3.3-km long chain-linked floating material restricting navigational entry will be placed inside the spans of the sea link, and a thermal camera will be installed on one of the pillars to thermally monitor and analyse boat movement towards the bridge,” added the official.
The original proposal of the required security measures sent by Sivanandhan also included mobile scanners. “However, the committee felt that such scanners may reduce the speed of the vehicles, and defeat the very purpose of a sea link,” said a source in the corporation. It has been decided that though MSRDC will bear the set-up expense of Rs25 crore, the police will shell out Rs13.5 lakh per month towards the recurring expenses, the source added.
Though officials in the corporation are tight-lipped about the time frame for the decision-making, sources in MSRDC have told DNA that the state government wants the sea link “fully secured” as early as possible.
“The committee will appoint a consultant to recommend ideas for the tendering process. We can have a full-proof security system within the next three months,” said another senior MSRDC official, requesting anonymity.
At present, two companies — HCL and Lotun Securities — have shown interest in the project. However, the final decision will be made through a bidding process. It is likely that the project will be executed by the Mumbai police in partnership with a private company.
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