CHENNAI: Security arrangements for the Chennai Metro Rail, will in all likelihood, be taken over by the State police with private security guards, who are currently overseeing the security, complementing them for screening baggage.
Police sources said discussions to this effect are at a rudimentary stage, while another senior police official agreeing with this said they were actually discussing what force should be posted at Metro Railway stations.
“It has been made clear that the security at the stations will be taken over by the State police. We have expressed our concern on the current security. We have also pointed out additional security arrangements to be made at some key locations”, he said.
CMRL officials have informed the State police that CMRL will monitor the CCTV cameras installed in stations exclusively from their control centre with an assurance that they will share footage as and when required by the State police.
The State police chief Ashok Kumar, ADGP L&O TK Rajendran, IGP-Intelligence P Kannappan, and City Police Commissioner, S George, accompanied by Metro Rail officials took a ride on the Metro on Saturday afternoon in order to inspect the security arrangements.
“The ride was primarily to inspect present security arrangements installed by the CMRL”, another top officer observed.
During the inspection, the top cops were walked through the operation of the CMRL between Koyambedu and Alandur stations.
Comparing the proposed security arrangements for CMRL with other metro rail transportation in other cities, the security of Bengaluru Metro Rail is vested with Bengaluru City Police.
The Jaipur Metro Rail security is entrusted with the Rajasthan Police.
Delhi Metro Rail security is vested with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and Railway Protection Force (RPF) takes guard in Kolkata Metro Rail.