22 September,2009 03:04 PM IST | | PTI
Mumbai police has asked Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to take appropriate steps to secure the newly-constructed Bandra-Worli Sea Link from the possibility of a spectacular terror attack.
The city Police Commissioner, D Sivanandan, has asked the MSRDC, to install mobile/gantry-based explosive scanners on the bridge, constructed at a cost of Rs 1600 crore.
"The terrorists may/can use explosive laden cars for staging a spectacular attack (especially in the cable-stayed portion of the sea link)," Sivanandan said in a letter to Satish Gawai, Vice-Chairman of the MSRDC.
The letter, dated July 27, stated, "It is necessary to install mobile/gantry-based (human-safe) explosive scanners at either end of the sea link. Such scanners are presently used by the sea ports for scanning."
He also suggested that no vehicle should be allowed to be stopped near the cable-stayed area. Sivanandan also emphasised on the need to deploy dog squads at the eight-lane wide and five-km long sea link.
"There is a need for six dog squads that sniff explosives," the letter reads. The bridge, named after late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, has an average traffic of around 25,000 vehicles on weekdays.
Gawai said they have asked the state government to grant funds to procure the equipment suggested by police. The cable-stayed bridge has reduced the travel time between Bandra and Worli from 45-60 minutes to seven minutes.
