10 commando units proposed for Vidhana Soudha

10 commando units proposed for Vidhana Soudha

The Hindu

Police seek sanction for 383 posts, CAR company

# Ministers and Leaders of Opposition of both Houses should be exempted from carrying entry pass
# DPAR must notify dignitaries exempted
# Entry pass for all staff of Vidhana Soudha
# Hi-tech gadgets for security personnel

BANGALORE: Top police officers have proposed to the State Government to sanction 383 posts in various ranks and 10 commando units from the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) for the security of the Vidhana Soudha and the Vikasa Soudha.

The strength of police personnel at the Vidhana Soudha now is 99 against the proposed strength of 482. The Government has also been requested to post one company of City Armed Reserve (CAR).

The police officers have sought sanctioning of posts such as deputy commissioner of police (1), assistant commissioner of police (2), police inspector (4), police sub-inspector (32), assistant sub-inspector (49), head constable (90), police constable (158) and staff writer (48).

The Police Commissioner of Bangalore, Ajai Kumar Singh, who made a detailed presentation on security at a recent meeting called by the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, stressed the need to deploy 10 commando units from the KSRP in three shifts at the Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha.

The meeting was held to discuss issues pertaining to security at key installations in the city after the Union Home Ministry sounded an alert about plans of terrorists to carry out attacks in the State.

Ministers, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council and the Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses need not obtain any entry pass, according to the officers.

To manage the visitors, the police have recommended to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) to notify a list of dignitaries to be exempted from entry pass. The DPAR has been recommended to provide passes to all employees of the Vidhana Soudha.

Other major recommendations are no casual visitors to be allowed into the Vidhana Soudha without the pass issued by the DPAR; any invitee to the Secretariat should be issued a pass by DPAR on the recommendation of the department concerned in advance, creation of four reception counters at the outer ring and issue of passes to officials for entry of vehicles.

During the presentation, the officers said the security system at the Vidhana Soudha now has many loopholes such as parking of vehicles around the complex, entries from all sides, public functions at the banquet and conference halls, public access to banks, people accompanying legislators, MPs and officials, and establishment of outlets by the Karnataka Milk Federation and the Horticultural Produce Marketing Committee (HOPCOM).

The officers have urged the Government to provide x-ray machines, mail bomb parcel scanner for screening of mail, alarm system, door frame metal detector (DFMD), hand held metal detector (HHMD), binoculars and night vision devices to the police.