CCTVs, vehicle scanners to keep octroi nakas in Mumbai safe

With the fear of terrorist strikes looming large, the civic body wants to keep a strict check on the trucks entering the city.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with the help of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, is planning to install vehicle scanners and CCTVs at all five Octroi nakas in the city — the Western Express Highway Naka (Dahisar), the Eastern Express Highway Naka (Mulund East), Lal Bahadhur Shastri Marg Naka (Mulund West), Mulund-Airoli Link Road Naka (Airoli) and the Mumbai-Panvel Highway Naka (Mankhurd).

“It’s not possible to check every consignment,” said SS Shinde, joint municipal commissioner. “The scanner can help detect if there are any explosives hidden in the truck.”

The BMC will invite tenders within a month. The project’s estimated cost is Rs100 crore, an officer from the octroi
department said.