Times of India 20.07.2009

PCMC may appoint armed guards at municipal properties

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is considering recruiting 41 armed guards in order to protect octroi posts, property tax offices and other municipal properties.

Speaking to TOI on Saturday, Anilkumar Dalvi, security officer, PCMC said that the civic administration is considering the step and other measures to beef up security at the municipal offices and other properties.

"We have nine armed guards as security guards. Three of them are deployed at the water purification plants in Nigdi during the night shift, one each is deployed at the vehicle repair workshop in Pimpri and the PCMC main building and three are deployed at octroi posts," said Dalvi.

He added that the new armed guards will be mostly deployed to secure the cash at 21 octroi posts and 15 property tax

offices of PCMC. We plan to fill 34 vacant posts of security inspectors who will supervise the security arrangements at various civic properties."

Speaking about the measures to be taken to beef up security at the PCMC main office building, Dalvi said, "An iron staircase installed for pedestrians to enter the main building premises from the highway has been removed as thieves use it to enter the premises to steal the batteries of vehicles parked there. A security guard has been deployed behind Annasaheb Magar statue to check trespassing over the compound wall along the Mumbai-Pune highway. Two security guards each have been deployed near both the gates and the back portion near the common boundary with PMT Tools."

He added that the civic administration was monitoring the movement of visitors in the main office building round the clock. The number of security guards has been increased at the entrance to the main building. Visitors are asked to note down their names, address and other details in the register.

Dalvi said, "We have 343 security guards on the PCMC staff and another 315 hired from contractors. There are 654 civic properties which include water works, playgrounds, schools and other buildings which need to be secure."

Earlier, the PCMC had taken several steps to increase security at its various offices and the main administrative building. Metal and letter bomb detectors, close circuit television (CCTV) cameras and other measures were taken at the main administrative building in Pimpri. But security lapses still occur. A vehicle was stolen from the PCMC main office premises on January 28. Thefts have also occurred at the divisional property tax offices at Charholi in January and at Bhosari in March.

Thefts have been reported at the property tax offices in Bhosari and Charholi. An armed robbery took place at the octroi post in Moshi where a civic employee was injured in May this year.