01 December,2010 06:44 AM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
Eight months after its inauguration, the northbound carriageway of the sea link does not have security gadgets, despite pending bids
It*s been over eight months since the north bound carriageway of Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) was thrown open to citizens, but the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is yet to install close circuit television cameras (CCTV).
In fact, the MSRDC has not even received responses from bidders for installing any security gadgets (see box) on BWSL.
The MSRDC invited bids for installing security gadgets like the CCTV cameras on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, but so far no responses have come in from bidders. Yesterday was the last date for
submission of bids.
The last date of submission of bids was yesterday and none of the companies have turned up to submit bids.
MSRDC had extended the date of submission from September 13 to November 15 already once before.
Last year, the then Police Commissioner D Sivanandan had written to MSRDC to install high quality security gadgets on the sea link as it was on the target of terrorists who might use explosives-laden cars for an attack.
An MSRDC official said, "The north carriageway was open in April and till date no CCTV camera has been installed as there are some technical issues."
However a senior official said that the CCTV cameras on the southern carriageway can move in 360 degrees and monitor the northern carriageway as well.
With a man jumping off the BWSL earlier in the month when US President Barack Obama was in town, questions were raised over the lack of security measures.
Rs 1,640 crore
The cost of construction of the 5.6 km Bandra-Worli Sea Link
Bids invited in August for the security gadgets
Sources say bids had been invited in August for following security gadgets: Re-locatable vehicle explosive scanners; high-speed motorbikes; walkie-talkies; an observation tower; floating buoys; floating jetty and towing vans
The gadgets will be u00a0part of Rs 23 crore u00a0package which the u00a0MSRDC had asked for u00a0from the state Public Works and Home departments.