Date:28/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/28/stories/2008112859230300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Public places need to be guarded effectively

Staff Reporter

People avoid multiplexes, market places owing to a feeling of insecurity following Mumbai attacks

Frequent bus and train travellers feel the terminals are ‘sitting ducks’
Malls, super markets maintain that they are more vigilant than ever

HYDERABAD: An undercurrent of insecurity was palpable among the general public frequenting public places in the twin cities on Thursday after the Mumbai terrorist attacks. There was an unmistakable sense of scepticism among them on the issue of safety at railway and bus stations.

While security at malls, multiplexes and commercial complexes in twin cities showed signs of urgency, frequent bus and train travellers felt that the terminals are ‘sitting ducks’ and need to be guarded more. The people’s tendency to avoid multiplexes, super and hyper markets during times of crisis was evident, as their numbers decreased on Thursday.

No checking

“There are so many porous areas here that anybody can get in and wreak havoc. Nobody bothered to check my baggage today,” says T. Malati, travelling to Mysore from Imliban Bus Terminus.

At Jubilee Bus Stand in Secunderabad, a lonely policeman, with hand-held metal detector, was frisking travellers at random. “They don’t conduct checking of large number of cars and bikes parked here. Anyone who knows the design of JBS well can easily sneak in and create chaos. There’s not much police presence,” said Khaala Begum, travelling to Karimnagar from JBS.

Just one day after the mock drill, presence of security at Secunderabad Railway Station was modicum at best. Travellers felt the car parking area in the station was devoid of any stringent frisking. “The station has several ways of getting inside unnoticed. It gets chaotic at entry and departure points and anything can happen. We are tense but what to do?” asks Soumithra Das, a frequent visitor to city from West Bengal.

The management of malls, hyper and super markets maintained that they are more vigilant than ever. “Securitymen in plainclothes are present everywhere in hypermarket. There is insecurity in general but we can meet the security demands,” said a top official of Spencer’s hypermarket at Musheerabad.

Another mega mall ‘Big Bazaar’ at RTC crossroads had very little inflow of customers. “It would be better to purchase at the nearby Kirana shop, rather coming here and inviting trouble,” says housewife P. Sumalata.