Most malls ignore fiat to beef up security

Although the police has sent repeated notices to shopping complexes and malls to step up security on their premises most of them have ignored the order.

A team of cops exposed the poor security in these establishments by getting inside them with weapons concealed inside their dress bypassing the security at the entrance. Senior police officials said the metal detectors at the entrance were namesake. The establishments have also completely ignored security at parking lots where anybody could plant explosives. The police has prepared a list containing the names of dozens of establishments who have ignored the directions on security.

“With festivals approaching these malls are likely to attract a large number of people. But, security at these business establishments are not up to the mark. In order to assess their security systems we are now sending decoy teams to each establishment and making a list. We will be giving them one more chance to rectify shortcomings,” said Tarun Joshi, the joint police commissioner of Rachakonda.

Police officials said that even in Dilsukhnagar, where a terror attack took place in 2013, managements are not taking security seriously.

“As per our standards, besides the main entrances, security guards should be present even at the entry points of basement parking lots and they should conduct thorough vehicle checks before letting visitors in. They should have under vehicle search mirrors or metal detectors. However, most establishments do not have the equipment,” said a senior police official, adding that body frisking was a must at all mall entrances.

Police said that only two or three malls have installed the required security measures at the entrance to parking lots and buildings. One of them, Inorbit Mall located in Hi Tech city, installed security systems after persuasion by Cyberabad police. “We conduct checks on all vehicles using under vehicle search mirrors,” said an official of Inorbit Mall.