Stringent checks will be carried out at malls and multiplexes in the metropolis with police zeroing in on them as potential terror targets in the wake of serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.
Top police officials, present at a high-level meeting convened by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil at Mantralaya (state secretariat) to review the security situation in the financial capital, mooted the idea for checks at malls and multiplexes, a senior official told PTI.
"The state government is mulling over formulating a policy for security at parking places in malls and multiplexes," the official said.
"Crowded places like malls and multiplexes are easy targets," State police chief A N Roy said, adding currently there was no stringent security check for cars before parking.
The security hazard posed by high rises in the vicinity of important installations like jails and VIP residences was also discussed at the meeting, the official said.
Deploying police force everywhere is not possible due to manpower constraints and it was suggested that the mall management be asked to take care of security, he added.
Security at railway stations was also discussed in the meeting. The railway administration has set up close circuit TV (CCTV) cameras at stations and sniffer dogs have been provided to Railway Police, he said.
The Railway has sought more police personnel in view of growing requirements, the official said. The Western Railway was target of serial bombings in July 2006 which claimed 187 lives.
Another coordinated string of bomb blasts rocked Bangalore and Ahmedabad recently in which over 50 people were killed.
