CISF to take over Metro security by April

New Delhi, Jan 11 (UNI) The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will take over the security of the Metro rail network in the capital by April this year in the wake of increasing threat perceptions to mass transit systems around the world.

The proposal was actually mooted following the terror attack in London Metro on July 7, 2005.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had cleared a few months back, the proposal to leave the security of the Metro stations exclusively to the CISF personnel, who are already handling the security in major airports and vital organisations and installations of the central government.

"We hope to take over the security of the Metro in the next four months. We will deploy 1,600 of our personnel in charge of security of the Metro rail system," a top official of the CISF told UNI here today.

He, however, said, the actual security take over is possible only after the Home Ministry provided the essential requirements like accommodation to the personnel and also the equipment.

"We want barracks for the stay of our men. We want transport for their movement. We will also have to get equipment like X-ray machines, exclusive detector and surveillance camera," the official said, pointing out that "how soon we take over the metro security depends on how fast we get our essential requirements.

But we are hopeful it will not be delayed beyond April".

Under the proposal, the total expenditure on account of the deployment of the CISF personnel would be shared by the MHA and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

"While the DMRC will bear the non-recurring expenditure, the MHA would meet the recurring expenditure," a Home Ministry official said.

DMRC is now operating its services to a few areas in the capital city, covering a total distance of 65 kilometres. There are a total of 59 Metro stations.

The security of the Metro stations are now being handled by the Delhi Police. However, the CISF has contributed six companies (about 500 personnel) to the Delhi Police for the security and surveillance of Metro networks.

UNI