New force to guard Metro

By Reya Mehrotra

Soon, safety at metro stations will be complemented via Karnataka State Industrial Security Force (KSISF) except the prevailing safety agencies.

Neelamani Raju, Director General & Inspector General of Police, has written a letter to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) asking it to boost a separate safety pressure with a power of 1,350 group of workers known as the KSISF. It was previous being contemplated that the pressure could have officials deputed from Karnataka State Reserve Police Force (KSRPF), City Armed Reserve (CAR), District Armed Reserve (DAR) and Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB). However, taking these officers on deputation was now not possible as there's a serious shortage of manpower and currently the group of workers from these forces had been deployed for quite a lot of safety tasks.

It was then advised that a new battalion be raised through direct recruitment for the KSISF which will be dedicated to BMRCL. As these group of workers will be paid via the BMRCL, it won’t be a burden at the state exchequer.

BMRCL MD Ajay Seth stated that this safety pressure will complement and now not substitute the prevailing safety stationed at quite a lot of metro stations.

BMRCL right now has quite a lot of safety agencies offering safety at other metro stations in step with divisions. These come with Security and Intelligence Services (SiS) and Unique Delta Force Security Private Limited, among others.

As consistent with discussions, a full battalion of KSISF will be raised with 1,350 group of workers within the following hierarchy — commandant (one), deputy commandants (two), assistant commandants (five), police inspectors (10), police sub-inspectors (93), assistant sub-inspectors (53), head constables (65), police constables (1018) and 103 toughen group of workers.

However, Vice President of Bangalore Metro Rail Employees Union (BMREU) , Suryanarayana Murthy, stated: “BMRCL is already now not paying its group of workers adequately. Paying the additional safety pressure can be an added burden and in step with my estimate, it will value Rs 34-40 crore consistent with year. The salaries of the brand new safety pressure should be paid via the government and now not via BMRCL.”