NEW DELHI: Delhi’s cash vans are unsafe. Reason? The Delhi government is dragging its feet with regard to implementing Private Security Agencies Transporting Cash Rules, 2018. Officers privy to the policy stated that two years ago, when cash transactions picked up pace in the country and more and more money was being withdrawn from ATMs, the Centre, in a bid to track and keep a check on the money being transported in cash vans, came out with a set of rules under Private Security Agencies cies (Regulation) (PSAR) Act,2005.
Based on these guidelines, each state was to notify its own policy for private vehicles transporting cash on the same lines. However, two years on, the guidelines, in Delhi, have only remained on paper,
enclosed in a file shuttling between the city’s Home and Law departments. Both the departments are busy in passing the buck on each other with regard to issuing a notification of the policy. The policy has already been notified in Punjab and a few southern states.
Taking due cognisance of the fact that the job of transporting cash is mostly outsourced to privately-owned cash vans, the Union government laid down the norms for states and Union Territories.
“Private agencies are handling the movement of public money in currency chests.
In recent years, there has been a spurt in attacks, hijacking and looting of cash vans and ATM fraud. This has not only resulted in loss of public money but also increase in crime,” sad an official privy to the development. As per rough estimates, there are 1,000 private vehicles ferrying currency worth thousands of crores across the national capital.
No rules to keep check on cash vans
The Home and Law departments in Delhi are passing the buck on to each other with regard to issuing a notification on the enforcement of Private Security Agencies Transporting Cash Rules, 2018