The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is set to get a senior IPS officer to head its long-vacant chief security and vigilance officer post. The state government has approved the appointment, a move that fulfills a commitment made in the state legislature earlier this year following the shocking Swargate state transport stand incident in Pune.
A man allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside a parked MSRTC bus at the Swargate depot in the early hours of February 25 this year. The incident exposed lapses in the internal security arrangements of the state transport system, bringing to light the post of chief security and vigilance officer, responsible for overseeing safety across all ST depots and workshops, lying vacant for several years.
Transport minister and MSRTC chairman Pratap Sarnaik had assured legislators that the state government would soon fill the position with a senior police officer of IPS rank.
“The Swargate incident was an eye-opener for all of us. It highlighted the urgent need for a disciplined, professional approach to ensure the safety of passengers, especially women. I had made a promise in the assembly that MSRTC would soon get an IPS-rank officer to lead the security and vigilance department, and I am glad to say that the commitment is being fulfilled,” said Sarnaik.