After Mantralaya suicide bids, Maharashtra government may limit access to visitors

Senior bureaucrats said the government is exploring an option of allowing visitors only with appointments

Citing the recent spate of suicide bids in and outside Mantralaya, the state home department wants to overhaul the security system at the state secretariat. It has proposed a detailed screening and an access-controlled entry for the visitors. The department also wants to expand the CCTV coverage at Mantralaya.

On Monday, the state government installed a safety net across the second-floor to prevent suicide attempts. (HT photo)

On Monday, the state government installed a safety net across the second-floor to prevent suicide attempts after a 44-year-old murder convict committed suicide by jumping off the fifth floor of the building on February 8. Last week, HT had reported the state was looking at upgrading the security measures to prevent suicide bids at Mantralaya.

“We are proposing an access-controlled system for authorised vehicles and individuals. We are working on a system, which will be operational in the next four months. If a visitor wants to go to a particular department, he will be given access to only that department,” said Deven Bharti, joint commissioner of police (law and order). He added “records of all visitors” entering the building will be scrutinised.

Senior bureaucrats said the government is exploring an option of allowing visitors only with appointments. “But it is unlikely to be feasible because several people come to visit junior officers and it cannot be always done only through appointments. We are taking preventive steps, by keeping convenience of the public in mind,” said a senior bureaucrat.

A senior official from the home department said while investigating the recent suicide at Mantralaya, it came to light that CCTV cameras are installed in the corners and have a limited coverage area. Bharti said that the department will install additional CCTV cameras in Mantralaya. “Security outside the gate will be beefed up. We are installing bollards and vehicles scanners as well.”