The UP government gave its in-principle approval to an elaborate security plan for the 29-km-long Noida-Greater Noida Metro corridor. The key element of the security plan will be the ‘Metro Force,’ a specially trained battalion of 1,000 UP PAC personnel. Out of the eight companies in the battalion, two companies will be formed of 242 women police personnel, said officials. The plan includes the establishment of a ‘Metro Force’ formed of UP Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel, setting up of police stations, and installation of CCTV cameras at proposed stations. The force will be set up along the lines of the Central Industrial Security Force that guards the Delhi Metro. This was decided at a meeting between the UP principal secretary (home) and representatives of the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) in Lucknow.
NMRC chairman Rama Raman said the PAC battalion will be established in Greater Noida. “We are planning to set up a specially trained battalion on the lines of CISF for fool-proof security of Metro rail in the state. Other than Metro rail projects, the special force would also provide security to important establishments like power projects, big hospitals and important bridges,” said Raman, who is also the chairperson of the three authorities of Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway.
Officials said Principal Secretary (Home), Debashish Panda, has now directed the Inspector General (PAC), Shripad Shiradkar, to prepare a detailed plan for Metro security and submit it within two weeks. The NMRC had first outlined a security plan for the under-construction Metro corridor in February and the proposed plan was then forwarded to the state government for approval.
The proposals include setting up a police post in Noida Sector 71 and a police station at Depot station in Greater Noida. The police station in Greater Noida will have 21 women constables. “Officials in Lucknow were also informed about the need for two dog squads and two bomb disposal units for the Metro security,” said an official of NMRC.
