An ‘Integrated Command and Control Centre’ will soon succeed the security control room set up at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple following the discovery of antique treasures in its ancient subterranean vaults in 2011, according to the State police officials.
The centre will be the nucleus of the five-tier security system planned for the landmark temple.
A no-fly-zone backed by an aerial surveillance system, blast proof perimeter walls topped by power fences, seismic sensors to protect the treasure vaults from tunnelling, surveillance cameras, baggage scanners, burglar alarms, and a visitor tracking system are the major components of the multi-level security system planned for the temple.
Electro-hydraulic bollards, short vertical posts, and road blockers designed to “absorb impact loads up to 1,000 Kilo Newton and stop an eight-tonne vehicle travelling at 80 km per hour” have arrived from Germany to be installed 50 m away from the four main entrances of the temple.
Bollards and blockersAt the press of a button, the bollards and blockers will deploy from their underground casings in a matter of a few seconds.
Bullet-proof sentry posts fitted with light machine guns to return suppressing fire in the event of an armed attack will cover the approach roads in front of the temple’s main entrances.
Officials said the command centre would “fuse together” all components of the temple’s security system, including its 30-member quick reaction team of “Thunderbolts Kerala” commandos, in the event of an emergency or security threat.
It will help reduce the time required for law enforcers to “deter, delay, detect, intercept, and react” to a threat, a senior official said.
In the event of an emergency, the centre will automatically send wireless, text and e-mail alerts to law enforcers, emergency services, and also temple administrators.
An array of video screens will enable the centre’s controllers to monitor the precincts of the temple, track visitors, sound alarms, issue advisories over the public address system, warn temple security and direct commando teams and emergency services in the event of a threat.
The police asked the government to install a robust and sabotage proof power supply system, backed by generators, exclusively for the temple. It suggested that the power department conduct security audit of the electricity transmission network in the locality to identify vulnerabilities.
State Police Chief K.S. Balasubramanian, ADGPs A. Hemachandran and K. Padmakumar, and IG Manoj Abraham have conceptualised the security system.
