Safety steps: Is Bangalore on track?

Safety steps: Is Bangalore on track?
Vijay Times

Bangalore: With blasts in Mumbais lifeline, thousands commuting by State-owned KSRTC and BMTC need to face the fact that the transport bodies lack disaster management system and instead rely on preventive measures to ward off terror.

While the KSRTC has no system to handle such crisis, BMTC at least owns an emergency team to help victims.

However, P S Sandhu, BMTC director (security, vigilance and environment) says drivers and conductors are familiar with hospital and police station numbers in case of a terror attack.

"In case of emergency our team has been directed to rush passengers to the nearby hospitals.” B M Ramachandraiah, Chief Security and Vigilance Officer of KSRTC said, “KSRTC has initiated various preventive measures. We have requested the local police to step up security in and around bus stands.” Security officers have been provided handheld metal detectors to check suspicious objects on the platforms. The crew has been directed to immediately inform the police about suspicious persons or luggage.



Bangalore: A major plan to train the general public in disaster management has gone abegging, after being victimised by the transfer policy of the government.

Taking note of the fact that the general public had come forward to help victims in event of terror strikes or natural disasters, former Director General of Police, Fire and Emergency Services, R Srikumar, had prepared a plan to train people in saving lives. However, the plan was shelved even before being proposed for implementation after Srikumar was transferred from the post.

Capacity Building’, a programme was supposed to train the public on dos and donts during terror attacks or natural disasters.

According to Srikumar, CMD, Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, “The general public should be trained to handle the situation effectively and efficiently.” He said the department had proposed an ‘unified commandant control system’ where the civic agency can take a lead in dealing with such a situation. He explained the disaster management will have all civic agencies as members and the agency concerned called upon to tackle the situation with help from trained general public.

“If an outbreak of influenza hits the City, the health department will take lead in coordinating and accomplishing the task. In a terror attack, it will be the police department’s turn to coordinate. But the public will be the common factor, which is why it was important to train them,” he added.



Bangalore: With blasts on board local trains targe India’s commercial capital, commuter safety h become the primary aspect in public transport systems. Not to be left behind, the BMRC is contempla ing security measures for its ambitious proj planning to propose a Metro law for the same.

With the ground being prepared for the Metro Rail here, BMRC has now begun the initiative to frame t much required Metro Law for security, administration and operation of metro rail."We will be propo this law for approval, we are already at it, this be the much needed one and will contain guidelines on security and operations," V Madhu, managi director, BMRC told Vijay Times.

He said considering the present situation, BMRC in proposed law plans to incorporate the commissioner for railway safety for all safety aspects as advis Centre during project approval. BMRC will frame se al rules for consumers’ safety which address aspec mandatory checks, size and baggage weight allowed commuters. Legislation on accidents and claim also being looked into.

Close-circuit televisions at all Metro stations, c muter-friendly designs to ensure safe exit of pass gers during accidents. "We are looking into aspects, bogies will have glass windows with autom ic doors that are operated by the driver. “


Bangalore: The 7/11 blasts is yet an instance of how common men fall prey to mindless terror.

While the City does not have a rail transport similar to Mumbai, installation of Metro Rail by 2009-10 needs to focus on commuters’ safety. According to senior police officials, severe shortage of police personnel may be a hurdle to provide security in the Metro Rail, they say.

Police Commissioner N Achuta Rao suggests that Metro Rail have its own security set on the lines of Railway Protection Force.

“Once the Metro Rail is in operational, security along the entire route must be of utmost importance. A separate security agency must guard rail network and related property.” “The security expectations are sure change with the launch of the mono rail, the international airport and any future developments.” M N Sreehari, Chairman, Traffic Engineering and Safety Training says, “Security aspects must be emphasised to avoid major damages during such incidents.” Sreehari, also the Traffic Advisor to the State, says the police and fire-force personnel must be well trained and hold mock drills to tackle terror.





Bangalore: Images of hospitals in Mumbai struggling to meet the patient in-flow has sent clear warning signals to hospitals in the City to organise their disaster management system and avoid being caught off guard.

Though most City hospitals claim having a DMS in-place, they admit struggling to cope with the challenge as hospital authorities here have never faced a terror attack on a mass scale.

Drills are conducted for natural calamities and accidents only, but not for terror attacks, feel experts.

Chief Medical Superindent at Victoria Hospital, Ashok Kumar, says a 32-bed ward reserved for mass casualty is all the hospital can provide in such an eventuality.

"During times of disaster, team work is crucial. Doctors, nurses, para medical staff, medical experts, local administration and volunteers should work together.

“Though we have faced situations in the form of bus and train accidents, incidents like riots and other tragedies, we have not witnessed a terror attack which is of a totally different magnitude.” However, managements of private hospitals said their DSMs are efficient enough to tackle any situation, “It’s not just times of disasters our DMS is on guard to meet any challenge,” said a Manipal Hospital official.

Dr Naresh Shetty, Medical Director, MS Ramaiah Hospital, adds his hospital’s DMS team conducts regular drills to keep themselves prepared to meet such situations.