DESPITE ROUND-THE-CLOCK security, LDA officials have been unable to guard Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s 80-acre baby — the Lohia Park in Gomti Nagar — from intruders and thieves.
Plagued by repeated incidents of theft of the costly iron grill mounted on the park’s boundary wall and other electrical fixtures, the mandarins at the city’s development regulator have decided to upgrade its security. “Besides being lax, there were complaints of misconduct and bad behaviour against the present security personnel posted at the park,” said an LDA official.
He said a lot of senior IAS officers and eminent people, who came for a morning stroll inside the park, had also drawn their attention towards the misdemeanor of the security guards who have been accused of negligence and dereliction of duty. “Only recently, there was yet another attempt by burglars to cut the iron grill on the park’s boundary wall. But this time, they were caught and handed over to the police,” said the officer.
Here it is pertinent to mention that the park, soon after it’s opening last year, had hit the headlines when it was detected that its premises were being used by some people to answer nature’s call. According to sources, around 90 private security personnel mostly ex-Army men maintain a watch both in and around the sprawling park in three shifts of eight hours each. “While a total of 63 security personnel form the outer security ring, 27 guards are posted inside the park,” said Komal Singh of the Bhutpoorv Sainik Security Guard Services, the agency that deals with the security around the park. He said they had been issued instructions to keep a watchful eye on the activities of young couples, who frequent the park.
“The security guards inside the park have often been found dozing off on duty by morning/evening walkers and they have brought this to the notice of the authorities,” said Singh. So what would a security upgrade include? “We are working on the plan. There is a proposal to install electronic gates at the entrance but nothing is final as yet,” said an LDA official adding that tenders would soon be invited in this connection from reputed people in the business.
{{/usCountry}}“The security guards inside the park have often been found dozing off on duty by morning/evening walkers and they have brought this to the notice of the authorities,” said Singh. So what would a security upgrade include? “We are working on the plan. There is a proposal to install electronic gates at the entrance but nothing is final as yet,” said an LDA official adding that tenders would soon be invited in this connection from reputed people in the business.
{{/usCountry}}He said a similar system of providing entry to the people had been installed at the Ramoji Park in Hyderabad on whose pattern the LDA also proposed to develop an exclusive amusement section for the children.