Hyderabad: Safety norms at public places thrown to the wind
No security apparatus in place at several commercial establishments across the city; local police fail to enforce necessary measures
Hyderabad: Security goes for a toss at public places in the city with local police failing to enforce public safety measures in real sense.
Several commercial complexes, eateries, restaurants, shopping malls and hospitals have done away with the practice of keeping Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMDs) at the entrance and frisking the visitors.
The managements appear to have disregarded the security norms for various reasons although the government had enacted The Telangana Public Safety (Measures) Enforcement Act, 2013 that makes it compulsory to have security apparatus in place in public places.
Under the Act the establishments have to implement ‘Public Safety Measures’ such as Access Controls and Closed Circuit Television Surveillance at entry and exit points of the establishments. They have to ensure that the commercial establishment and their parking areas have access controls through physical and technical means, surveillance through closed circuit television surveillance cameras with a provision for storage of video footage for 30 days. Also, the technical equipment should adhere to the specifications notified by the government.
The Act gives powers to Inspector of Police having jurisdiction over the area to, without prior notice, enter into any establishment, inspect and check the installation and functioning of the public safety measures. In case of failure on part of the establishment owners, the local ACP or SDPO should issue a notice to the management and initiate action.
However, the establishments located at Begum Bazaar, Siddiamber Bazar, Park Lane Secunderabad, Koti, Sultan Bazaar, Dilsukhnagar, Ameerpet and Tolichowki to name a few places are caring little for the rules.
“The police a few years ago had conducted surprise checks and decoy operations at public places and initiated action. The practice has stopped for now and needs to be reintroduced by higher-ups of the Police Department,” said SQ Masood, a social worker.
