State yet to plug security holes in Pune

Despite the serial blasts on Jungli Maharaj (JM) Road exposing several shortcomings in the police security, the administration is yet to take any effective step to rectify them. The state government’s announcements to install CCTVs cameras and provide suits to the bomb squad are still on paper.

Post-blasts, the Pune police had reiterated their demand for an additional manpower of 10,000 personnel, including senior rank officers; bomb suits for the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and CCTVs with special control room.

Speaking to DNA on condition of anonymity, a senior Pune police officer said, “Considering the possibility of more terror attacks taking place in the city, we had forwarded the proposal asking for the installation of 1,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the city and setting up a separate control room at the police commissionerate to monitor them to the state home department immediately after the blasts. However, nothing has been done so far. The home department officials held a meeting before the Ganesh festival and decided to invite bids for the work.”

“Our separate proposal of 32 CCTVs for the commissioner’s office is also pending with the state home department,” the officer said.

However, additional commissioner of police (administration) Abdur Rahman said, “All the projects which were sent are in the pipeline.”