Notwithstanding their role in ensuring the safety of Kochi metro passengers, the absence of proper residential facilities is proving to be a major operational hazard for the Kochi Mero Special Police (KMSP) personnel on duty here.
At present, the State police have set up temporary accommodation for the unit at the Armed Reserve Police Camp in Kalamassery. A total of 215 personnel, including 29 women, have been deployed to look at exclusive areas like access control, anti-sabotage checks and CCTV monitoring.
“Most of these officers hail from faraway locations, including Kozhikode, Palakkad, Kollam and Idukki. During their deployment, authorities had promised to arrange residential facilities at the earliest but it’s been over three months since the metro launched the operations,” officials said. Though there were many applicants from Kochi, many of them got rejected as only graduates were considered, and also the candidates had to endure a tough screening process.
Meanwhile, both the police and the KMRL are accusing each other of shirking their responsibility.
“The KMSP, drawn from the State Industrial Security Force (SISF), is a sovereign entity serving the State from the Kochi metro premises. We will only be bearing the security expenses and it is the duty of the State police to look after their other requirements,” maintained a spokesperson with Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL).
According to the agency, the expenses for such security forces on metro rail duty in cities elsewhere are borne either by the Centre or the respective State government.
P. Vijayan, Inspector General of Police, Kochi Range, said the Police Department had already written to the KMRL on the issue.
“KMRL is an independent agency and is bound to make the necessary arrangements for the SISF officers operating there,” the official said.
He also pointed to the arrangements provided to the CISF personnel on duty at CIAL in Nedumbassery and, at BPCL at Ambalamugal.