Metal detectors remain showpieces

CHENNAI: Security at stations was a major focus in former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi’s budget. Two weeks on, when City Express walked into two major railway stations - Chennai Central and Egmore - some shockers have come to light. The Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMD), a vital security apparatus that have been installed at the entrances were dysfunctional. A basic security device that can detect arms, ferrous and nonferrous metals concealed on a person, this has proved effective in the past. Despite an average four people lakh visiting the Central Railway Station and adjacent Moore Market Complex (MMC) everyday, only four DFMDs were found working even as the rest remained idle.Strangers with concealed explosives can actually enter through two of the three passenger entrances at Chennai Central, making one of the most crowded facilities in the city vulnerable. Apparently, as many as 10 Metal Detectors have been left untended without being put into any use.The situation at the Egmore railway station was even more grave. None of the six Detectors were functioning on a busy Monday evening to the terminal - considered as the gateway for southern districts from the city. With six direct entries, the station is used by around 80,000 people daily. Of the six entries in north and south directions, only four entrances are protected with Detectors. In fact, the northern entrance that can be reached from the arterial Poonamallee High Road lacks a detector, although it was available till recently.When contacted, official sources with the Government Railway Police (GRP) admitted that six out of 12 Detectors were not functioning at Central Railway Station. “The wooden frame metal detectors will be replaced with new ones. A proposal in this regard has already been sent and the new ones are likely to be installed in two months,” said V Ponramu, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Central Railway Station, GRP. At the same time, necessary service is done for repairing the malfunctioning ones, he added.On the other hand, Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials clarified that all the Detectors cannot  be possibly malfunctioning at Egmore Railway Station. According to S R Gandhi, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, Chennai Division, Southern Railway, the DFMDs could have been not working due to disturbance in power supply. Asked about the disappearance of the detector at the northern side of the terminal, he pointed out the detector was installed only temporarily.