Pune rape case: Minister Sarnaik orders security audit of all MSRTC bus stations

In the wake of the Pune rape case Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Thursday ordered a security audit of all bus stations and depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation MSRTC PTI reportedA 26yearold woman was allegedly raped inside a state transport bus parked at the Swargate depot of the city on Tuesday The accused a 37yearold historysheeter named Dattatray Ramdas Gade is yet to be arrestedAccording to PTI Sarnaik also said a proposal will be sent to the state home department for the appointment of an Indian Police Service IPS officer as the undertakings Chief Security and Vigilance Officer CSVO a post that has been vacant since June 2022He has also directed authorities to deploy female security guards an MSRTC release saidPTI reported that Sarnaik further asked the police to increase patrolling at depots and bus stations adding that depot managers must remain at the facility to monitor activitiesSecurity guards at depots must ensure all buses parked at the facility are locked Employees must wear proper ID cards to prevent anyone from cheating passengers in any manner the MSRTC release saidMSRTC has 580 bus standsOn Thursday evening the MSRTC issued an internal circular instructing staff to wear proper uniforms with a nameplate for identificationThey have been prohibited from wearing Tshirts with the MSRTC logo PTI reportedThe state transport minister said that all buses and other vehicles parked inside MSRTC depots across Maharashtra will be disposed of before April 15After reviewing the security situation at MSRTC bus depots and premises in the wake of the Pune rape case Sarnaik told mediapersons during a press conference at Mantralaya the state secretariat that he had given directions to conduct a security audit of MSRTC bus stations and depotsThe corporation has around 580 bus stands and 251 bus stations across the stateAn audit of all the bus depots and stations will be conducted and whatever deficiencies come to light in it we will try to rectify them The CSVO post has been vacant We have requested the chief minister and deputy chief minister to appoint an IPS officer on this post he saidPanic buttons to be made mandatoryin MSRTC buses The appointment of an IPS officer is the responsibility of the home department What responsibility the home department is going to give him the chief minister will decide he addedClosed Circuit Television CCTV cameras will be made mandatory along with Global Positioning System GPS and panic buttons in around 15000 MSRTC buses including those hired from private contractors Sarnaik informedPolice have identified the accused in the Pune rape case after examining the CCTV footage inside the depot and the footage was also handed over to them for further investigation he saidAt present the MSRTC has around 2700 security guards appointed through various security boards and they are reviewing whether this number can be increased along with a 1520 per cent rise in the number of female security guards Sarnaik informedHe also urged female passengers to continue using MSRTC buses for their travel without fear as in the pastI want to assure them that the government is with them he saidFollowing the rape incident the security guards stationed at the Swargate bus station have been replaced and action will be taken against the bus driver controller or depot manager if they are found guilty the minister assuredWith PTI inputs