KOCHI: The Cabinet decision to deploy a police unit exclusively for the Kochi Metro at the expense of the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is likely to put additional strain on the agency’s pocket.
KMRL, which owns the Metro Rail, is already overloaded with several other key capital intensive infra projects, including Water Metro, second phase of Kochi metro, city beautification and integrated transport network projects.
As per Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s announcement after the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, 138 police personnel will be deployed for the security of Kochi Metro, and another 29 new posts will be created for setting up a dedicated police station for managing the metro corridor.
The Cabinet also decided the KMRL should bear the salary and other allowances of the policemen, which is expected to hike KMRL’s expense by another `22 crore per year. In all other major metro rail projects in the country, the respective governments provide the wherewithal for managing the security force. In Delhi, the security is manned by the police, which is under the Union Government.
KMRL request
Earlier, the KMRL had requested the state government to provide the service of the State Industrial Security Force (SISF) personnel for the security of the metro. It also informed the government a total of 240 security personnel are needed to man the stretch between Aluva and Palarivattom, which will be commissioned soon.
The KMRL had roped in former state police chief Jacob Punnoose as the security adviser of the project. It also plans to avail of the service of 400 private security guards at the 11 metro stations on the stretch for managing the security at gates, parking lots and exterior areas.
While submitting the proposal for providing security force, the KMRL had requested the state government to bear the expenses, as it is a sovereign duty. The agency also stated it was the Centre which bears the security expenses of the Delhi Metro. However, Wednesday’s Cabinet decision is against its proposal.
“We are waiting for the final government order (GO) in this regard. We are yet to receive the copy of the Cabinet decision. Hope the GO will bring more clarity to the matter,” said the KMRL spokesperson.
Secure metro
138 police personnel will be deployed for the security of Kochi Metro, and another 29 new posts will be created for setting up a dedicated police station