GRP seek steps to plug illegal entry, exit points at Pune railway station

PUNE: Close on the heels of the May 13 bomb scare at Pune railway station, the GRP have written to the Central Railway’s (CR) Pune divisional authorities, seeking steps to plug at least eight illegal entry/exit points along the Raja Bahadur Mill Road and the Sassoon Road that give unauthorised access to the station premises.
The letter by Government Railway Police (GRP) superintendent Sadanand Wayase-Patil also calls for raising the height of the compound wall along the roads to 12ft and sought better illumination of platforms during the night. Wayase-Patil has highlighted 30 security related issues, which include non-functional CCTV cameras, need for better baggage scanners, identity cards for contractual workers at the railway station, proper check at the parcel counters, better public address system among others. Manoj Jhawar, the Pune railway division’s public relations officer, told TOI, “The railway administration will certainly look into the matter. Once we receive the letter from the GRP, the matter will be taken up on priority.”

The GRP’s letter has pointed out, among other things, that there are at least eight illegal entry and exit points at the Pune railway station, apart from the four official entry/points. A majority of these illegal points are located along the Raja Bahadur Mill Road, which leads to the Tadiwala Road, and the rest along the Sassoon Road.
The police said that because of the illegal entries and exits, they are unable to keep an eye on suspicious movements and secure better crowd management at the railway station. “It is impossible for the police personnel to keep a check on the people involved in illegal activities. Also, the threat of someone planting explosives at the station remains high because of the illegal entries and exits,” the letter stated.