BENGALURU: The third Quick Response Team (QRT) for Namma Metro is now in place in the heart of the City. A letter from the State Police department to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) asking Metro to fund a building for the team has just been sent. The letter, dated December 5, asks BMRCL to provide funds up to Rs 56 lakh to put in place the required infrastructure for the team, also known as Garuda Force.
Praveen Sood, Director General of Police (DGP) Internal Security, confirmed the development.
“The QRT is supposed to respond within 10 minutes whenever there is any kind of security threat inside Metro trains or stations. We have already put in place two QRTs for BMRCL in key areas in the City. This will be the third such team,” he said. Due to security reasons, he asked Express to refrain from mentioning the areas where the teams are based.
There are 100 male members in each of the QRTs, the DGP informed. “Not merely inside the Metro network, the team will swing into action if any other security problem arises in the City too,” he added.
The team will need space to rest and eat while being on the alert constantly. “BMRCL had funded the previous two QRTs and we have asked it to support this team too,” Sood said.
The letter says funds would be required to water proof the building where the team is based, purchase gym equipments, RO Water plant and equipments for the kitchen among other aspects. “BMRCL already has private security in place as well as teams from the Karnataka State Reserve Police. We would like to provide more cops from the KSRP but are not able to spare them due to our limited staff strength,” he added. Sood said there are plans to provide such QRTs along the entire Metro route. “We have made a beginning now and the number of teams will definitely be increased in future,” he said.
BMRCL is yet to respond to the letter.