Just months ahead of the Commonwealth Games, Delhi Police has identified 500 vital installations and sites in the national Capital as “sensitive” to terror attacks.
A security audit recently carried out by the Delhi Police listed important market places and landmark buildings like Connaught Place, Akashvani Bhawan, Lajpat Nagar market, South Extension, Qutab Minar and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) under the high-risk category, official sources said.
Dilli Haat, New Delhi Railway station, Metro stations, hospitals and Delhi University campus are some other places in the high-risk category.
They said the authorities have suggested more elaborate security arrangements in and around such important buildings and sites.
A detailed security audit was recently carried out by district police in coordination with the Special Cell — the anti-terror wing of the Delhi Police — to assess and grade the threat faced by hotels, malls, multiplexes, schools, colleges and other commercial and government installations.
The audits were done in three ranges — Northern, Southern and New Delhi — ahead of Commonwealth Games due here. They have graded buildings on four broad categories according to threat levels — A (highly sensitive), B (sensitive), C (moderate) and D (low level).
A senior police officer declined to give the details of such buildings citing security concerns but said “out of the total of nearly 500 such buildings or places, majority are in posh Central and South district ranges.”
He said after the security audit, the police have advised personnel concerned to step up security arrangements by installing the latest surveillance equipment and posting armed guards to secure their buildings or offices.
The direction by Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal on conducting security audits were given to Joint Commissioners in-charge of the three ranges which were subsequently passed on to the Deputy Commissioners of Police.
“Our officials also guide authorities on different security arrangements that can be made to ensure security and safety of buildings,” the official said adding, “We regularly carry out such exercises to prevent any untoward incident.”
