The Hindu : BEST to close gap under rear seats

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 02, 2003

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BEST to close gap under rear seats

By Arunkumar Bhatt

MUMBAI Aug. 1. In order to prevent terrorists from placing explosives, the space beneath the rear seats of Mumbai's 3,500 city buses is being covered with aluminium sheets. This was decided today by the committee of city fathers, the executive body of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking, a municipalised undertaking running the service.

In both cases of blasts on buses at Ghatkopar — last Monday's blast that left three persons dead and 47 injured and that of December 2 that claimed two lives and injured 28 — the devices were placed beneath the last seat, which is also closer to the entrance.

After the December 2 blast, the BEST had blocked the luggage space beneath the ladder in its 390 double-decker buses. Everyday, over 45 lakh commuters travel by the BEST, considered to be one of the best in the country. Its General Manager, Swadheen Kshatriya, told the committee that the task of covering the space beneath rear seats would be completed in two months. He expressed inability to finish it in a fortnight for that would mean withdrawal of the buses from their routes. Most of the city buses remain on road for 20 hours.

Mr. Kshatriya said flying squads comprising members of the security personnel and traffic supervisors, were being formed for surprise, random and sample checking of the buses. They were being checked before they left their depots and also on arrival after each trip, but it was not possible to check at every stop.

After the December 2 blast, the BEST had identified "peak" loading and unloading bus stops on each route. These stops were being kept under police surveillance. This list is being revised now, Mr. Kshatriya said.

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BEST to close gap under rear seats