24-hour control room at GAD

A 24-hour Control Room has been set up in the General Administration Department (GAD) as part of strengthening security at the Secretariat in view of the Left Democratic Front’s indefinite siege from Monday.

The control room can be contacted on telephone 0471-2327176 and 2325992. The fax number of the control room is 0471-2325992. Employees will be allowed entry into the Secretariat premises only after verifying the identity card.

Chief Secretary E.K. Bharat Bhusan has issued orders that Secretariat employees would not be granted leave from Monday in view of the stir.

For the benefit of government employees, the KSRTC has been directed to operate special services from five areas in the capital. The special bus services will be from the central station, Melaranoor, Vikas Bhavan, Museum junction and Jawahar Nagar.

Official sources said the buses would be parked at these five key locations and government employees would be allowed entry only after verifying the identity card. Police personnel would be posted on the buses and the services would be provided police escort.

Sources in KSRTC said city and other bus services would be operated as per schedule in the capital, the sources said.

The State Transport Commissioner has warned of stern steps, including cancellation of permits, if stage-carriers, lorries, and other vehicles indulged in permit violations.

The directive comes in the wake of the reports that stage carriers and other vehicles would be used to ferry LDF activists from other districts to the State capital for the Secretariat siege.

The Transport Commissioner said action would be initiated on the basis of the reports from the surveillance cameras, squads of the Motor Vehicles Department and vehicles found indulging in transporting the people illegally.

Notices

In another move, the police have issued notices to the tour companies and rent-a-car agencies not to indulge in violations of the permit granted to the vehicles. Lodges and halls have been issued notices warning them against letting out the premises for those coming for the stir.