Pune rape Sarnaik orders audit of MSRTC facilities seeks IPS officer as security chief

Mumbai, Feb 27 (PTI) In the wake of rape of a woman inside a parked state transport bus in Pune, 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).
A 26-year-old woman was allegedly raped inside a state transport bus at the Swargate bus station in Pune on Tuesday. The accused, a 37-year-old history-sheeter named Dattatray Ramdas Gade, is yet to be arrested.
Sarnaik also said a proposal will be sent to the state home department for appointment of an IPS officer as the undertaking's Chief Security and Vigilance Officer (CSVO), a post that has been vacant since June 2022.
Sarnaik has also directed authorities to deploy women security guards, an MSRTC release said.
He also asked police to increase patrolling at depots and bus stations, adding that depot managers must stay at the facility to keep an eye on happenings.
"Security 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," it said.
On Thursday evening, the MSRTC issued an internal circular asking staffers to wear proper uniforms with nameplate for identification.
They have been prohibited from wearing T-shirts with the MSRTC logo, the official said.
Sarnaik said all buses and other vehicles parked inside the MSRTC depots across the state will be disposed of before April 15 this year.
Addressing a press conference at Mantralaya, the state secretariat here, after taking a review of the security scenario at the MSRTC bus depots and premises in the wake of the Swargate rape case, Sarnaik said he has given directions to conduct a security audit of the MSRTC bus stations and depots.
The corporation has around 580 bus stands and 251 bus stations across the state.
"An 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 said.
"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 added.
CCTV cameras will be made mandatory along with GPS and panic buttons in around 15,000 MSRTC buses, including those hired from private contractors, Sarnaik said.
Police have identified the accused in the Swargate rape case after examining the CCTV footage inside the depot, and the footage was also handed over to them for further investigation, he said.
At present, the MSRTC has around 2,700 security guards appointed through various security boards, and they are conducting a review to see if this number can be increased along with a 15-20 per cent rise in the number of female security guards, according to him.
Sarnaik also requested female passengers to continue to use MSRTC buses for their travel without fear as in the past.
"I want to assure them that the government is behind them," he said.
In the wake of the rape incident, the security guards deputed 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 assured.
Replying to a question about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to upgrade security, he said this technology is being used everywhere, and even his department plans to make use of it as much as possible.
When asked about accused Gade appearing in a banner of a former MLA of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), Sarnaik said the police would carry out a probe into it.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)