Mumbai ready to thwart repeat of 26/11

With intelligence agencies warning of major terror strikes, the Maharashtra Police is confident about meeting any challenge thrown by terror outfits given their preparedness after the 26/11 attacks.

The state police chief and Mumbai police commissioner on Friday said though the metropolis continued to be on the terror hit-list, the security apparatus was more prepared and alert this time.

"Mumbai continues to remain on the terror hit-list, but the police's response mechanism has improved drastically and we are much more confident now," Director General of Police A N Roy said at the 'security summit' at hotel Trident, one of the sites of the 26/11 terror onslaught.

He said with Mumbai evolving into a "global city", it will remain a target for terror outfits, whose objective was to inflict economic loss on the country by attacking its financial capital and causing disruption of normal life.

"Last year, there was a lack of preparedness on our part. We never thought there would be an attack of such magnitude. But since then we have taken numerous steps to strengthen the force," Mumbai police commissioner D Sivanandan said, adding that "a lesson had been learnt".

Stating that Mumbai police had spent Rs 36 crore for acquiring latest weaponry and technology to combat terror since 26/11, Sivanandan said an additional Rs 102 crore was likely to be made available by the state government soon to further upgrade the resources.

A Quick Response Team (QRT) having 200 officers and men divided into five groups had been stationed in the city. Force One, Maharashtra's equivalent for the National Security Gaurds (NSG), has also been raised.

Altogether 39 combat vehicles equipped with latest arms and a Global Positioning System (GPS), besides a few dozen bulletproof vehicles have also been acquired, he said.

Over 150 beat marshals have been appointed for intelligence gathering and passing it on to concerned departments.

He said while the main control room was being refurbished with latest technology at a cost of Rs 1.97 crore, five more control rooms would be set up soon.