Mumbai: Cops modify school safety rules as per local requirement

In the wake of the deadly attack on a Peshawar school in December, the Mumbai police had asked the city schools to raise their compound walls to 8 feet and fix barbed wires to prevent intrusion.

Days after coming up with strict safety guidelines for schools, the Mumbai police said the instructions have been modified according to the local needs.

In the wake of the deadly attack on a Peshawar school in December, the Mumbai police had asked the city schools to raise their compound walls to 8 feet and fix barbed wires to prevent intrusion.

Commissioner of police (Mumbai) Rakesh Maria on Monday said schools can modify security measures according to their requirement.

“I understand all standard rules such as putting up walls and barbed wires cannot be followed and so we have modified the rules as per local needs,” he said, taking into consideration heritage schools which cannot make alterations.

Maria said most of the safety instructions were framed in 2010 and after the attack on the army public school in Peshawar; they have reissued the instructions to all schools and colleges in the city.

Senior officers will visit schools and colleges after January 26, interact with the authorities to ensure they have understood the security need and followed the rules.

Maria said if the rules are not followed even after modifying them, the police would report the matter to education department.

“We have also asked schools and colleges to have different alarm bells in case of emergency,” he said.

Schools have been told to display telephone numbers of police stations and local police officers on school boards to ensure the police are promptly informed about any emergency.

The police have also asked school and college authorities to ensure safety in their canteens and also check tiffin boxes which come from outside.

Maria said they have asked educational institutes to ensure there are no traffic jams outside the institutions.

“Schools should ensure that only those with proper ID come to the school to pick up children and only students should be allowed inside the premises,” he added.