A team of the elite National Security Guard (NSG) has initiated a survey of different Mumbai metro lines to assess threat perceptions to the public transportation system in the city. The team has come from the national capital to conduct the eight-day survey of sensitive installations and structures on Metro corridors.
Confirming the development, an official from the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) said, “A team of the National Security Guard has planned a reconnaissance survey at some sensitive locations, including the Aarey Depot site of Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro 3 corridor, which they will visit on Tuesday (today).” During their visit that began on December 1, the Metro lines to be covered include Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro 1, Dahisar to DN Nagar Metro 2A, Colaba-BandraSEEPZ Metro 3, and Dahisar East-Andheri East Metro 7.
The operations branch of NSG, during the reconnaissance, is visiting various Metro sites and assessing the threat and security measures undertakenor planned by the executing agencies. A review of security preparedness and standard operating procedures (SOPs) will also be done. This isn’t the first instance of such a recce being conducted of the Metro assets.
In early 2018, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had directed the Central Industrial Security Force to undertake a similar assessment of Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro 1 line based on certain security threat inputs it had received.
The state officialsneither confirmed nor denied if there is any intelligence input triggering the latest round of security assessment visit. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police have imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure starting December 3 and it will remain in force until January 2, 2023. Section 144 disallows people from gathering in large numbers, which is five or more individuals. In a recent statement, the police said this had been put in place to maintain peace in the metropolis.
