In view of heightened terror threat perception following Pakistani terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed’s detention, the Union government has finally decided to upgrade the security of India’s first and highly sensitive Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari International Border. The Centre has floated tenders for much-awaited ‘full body truck scanner’ (FBTS). What’s more, work to replace analog CCTV’s with digital system has begun to enable security agencies to keep a sharp eye on every nook and corner of 130-acre ICP inaugurated on April 13, 2012.
Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik said that government had floated global tender enquiry for the procurement of five FBTS. These which would be installed at Petrapole, Raxaul, Poonch-Chakkanda Bagh and Uri-Islamabad barriers, apart from Attari. “Along with Saeed, other Pak-based militant organizations are continuously spewing venom against India and threatening to take revenge, in view of that security agencies had advised to immediately strengthen the security of ICP,” said intelligence sources. “I had met Union home minister Rajnath Singh to inform that the ICP requires two FBTS for which he agreed and issued necessary instructions,” said Malik.
As of now, trucks leaving and arriving at ICP are randomly checked leaving much scope to chance and error but after installation of FBTS, every single truck would be checked for concealment of weapons, narcotics or ammunition, besides easily verifying the content of the import or export goods. Customs deputy commissioner Balwinder Singh said that following installation of FBTS, the ICP would be better protected with the technologically-oriented approach to security. Malik said that it was strange that out of 231 analog CCTV cameras installed at ICP only 13 were operational. However, 108 digital CCTV cameras were being installed for round the clock security of ICP.
