MUMBAI: The BMC will not remove the security barricades erected around the Taj Mahal Hotel and Hotel Trident till it gets an all-clear signal from the Mumbai police commissioner. Both the hotels were targets of the 26/11 terror attacks two years ago.
Ashish Kumar Singh, former additional municipal commissioner (city), who has joined the chief minister's office, said he had held a meeting with the city police on how to deal with barricades on a public road.
"Based on their assessment of the security threat perception, I had recommended that, till the police commissioner gave an all-clear signal, the barricades should be maintained," he said.
According to sources, police officials at the meeting explained that they feared an attack similar to that on the Hotel Le Meridien in Pakistan where a truck laden with explosives was rammed into the hotel before being detonated.
"In view of such a high threat perception, it was decided to maintain the barricades," said sources.
Local residents had complained about the barricades being a daily hurdle. "When there is even the slightest encroachment by a citizen, the BMC swiftly takes action. The police have no right to tell the civic body what should be allowed on the road. These barricades can be erected within their premises and not on a public road in an already congested locality. It is inconveniencing citizens and causing daily traffic jams," said Vinod Shekhar, the local Congress corporator.
Meanwhile, the demolition notices issued to the two five-star hotels by the A-ward office for encroaching on public property, now stand cancelled. The ward office had even sent a bill for penalty and stacking charges to the tune of Rs 6.4 crore to the two hotels for the period ranging from September 1, 2009, to May 31, 2011. "As for the security barricades, we will not collect any money because they have now been authorized in a joint meeting of the BMC and the police," said S M Dhamane, assistant municipal commissioner, A-ward.
Read more: Cops' nod needed to remove Taj, Trident barricades - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Cops-nod-needed-to-remove-Taj-Trident-barricades/articleshow/7011975.cms#ixzz18k9fnbLB
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