The Delhi Legislative Assembly is set to
strengthen security across its premises with eight watchtowers, a dedicated
patrolling track for the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), automatic sliding
gates and an expanded surveillance network, the Assembly secretariat has said.
The overhaul follows repeated bomb threats and a security breach in April this
year, when a car was driven into the Assembly complex.
The planned measures also include under-vehicle
surveillance systems (UVSS), hydraulic blocking bollards, photographic
identification at flap barriers, radio frequency identification (RFID)
technology and additional CCTV cameras. Assembly speaker Vijender Gupta said
the measures were intended to improve perimeter security, regulate access and
enable a faster response to potential threats.
“Eight watchtowers are being established at
strategically identified locations across the front and rear sides of the
Assembly complex, including behind the reception, to strengthen perimeter
surveillance,” Gupta said. One of the eight towers has been completed, and CRPF
personnel will be deployed at the towers to monitor vulnerable areas and
respond to suspicious activity.
A dedicated track is also being developed to
enable CRPF personnel to patrol the Assembly boundary. Around 70% of the work
has been completed, Gupta said, adding that the track would improve perimeter
monitoring and allow security personnel to respond more efficiently to
potential threats.
Automatic sliding doors are being installed at
Gates 1 to 5 to improve access regulation. Hydraulic blocking bollards have
also been put in place at sensitive entry points to prevent unauthorised
vehicles from entering the complex.
UVSS equipment has been installed at Gates 2
and 5 to inspect vehicles entering the premises. The systems will help identify
suspicious vehicles and flag potentially fraudulent number plates for further
verification by security personnel, Gupta said.
At Gate 1, flap barriers equipped with
photographic identification facilities are being installed to strengthen the
verification of visitors and maintain entry records. An RFID system will help
identify and record vehicles entering the premises, enabling more systematic
monitoring of vehicular movement.
The Assembly
currently has around 120 CCTV cameras. Delhi Police has been asked to identify
additional blind spots and vulnerable locations where cameras can be installed
to plug surveillance gaps, officials said. A digital management system has also
been installed at the reception to streamline visitor registration and
verification. It records photographic identification and relevant details,
including the purpose of a visit, to strengthen entry management and
accountability. Gupta said the measures would combine physical security
infrastructure, vehicle screening, digital identification, CCTV surveillance
and improved patrolling to protect legislators, officers, staff and visitors.
The security overhaul follows an incident in
April when a man allegedly rammed his car through the Assembly’s security
barriers and drove into the premises, raising questions about access controls.
The complex has also received a series of bomb threats, many of which have
turned out to be hoaxes, prompting heightened security and checks. The Assembly
secretariat said the measures were aimed at strengthening preventive security
and enabling early detection of potential threats across the complex.