Bombay High Court seeks govt’s opinion on underwater cameras

Mumbai: The Bombay high court sought the opinion of the Union government and the coast guard on whether underwater cameras could be installed along the Bandra Worli Sea Link to enhance the security arrangements around the area and prevent incidents of suicides or other crimes around the sea link.

The PIL which was filed by activist Ketan Tirodkar alleges that the “sea link is fast becoming the favoured suicide spot for disheartened citizens,” and that there existed loopholes in the existing security arrangements.

The court directed the petitioner to make the Union government and the Coast Guard be impleaded as parties to a Public Interest Litigation seeking better security arrangements at the sea link.

A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Bharati Dangre was hearing A PIL, filed by activist Ketan Tirodkar, alleges that the “sea link is fast becoming the favoured suicide spot for disheartened citizens,” and that there existed loopholes in the existing security arrangements.

On previous hearings, Tirodkar had sought that more security guards be employed, under water CCTV cameras be installed and bomb detectors to be used along the 4.8 km long stretch.

However, advocate Prashant Sawant, the advocate for (MSRDC), told HC that since 2014, when the PIL was filed, the security arrangements had been upgraded. “There are 86 CCTV cameras installed along the bridge. Thirty security guards remain deployed all along the stretch 24x7,” Sawant said.

But he added that, “In India, the use of such scanners is not permitted since the scanner checks cars while the passengers are inside the vehicle. This exposes the passengers to harmful rays,” Sawant said.

He also said that another option of physically checking each vehicle would require additional space and would be too time consuming. “Thus, that option was also dropped,” he said. He suggested that the coast guard or other expert bodies be asked about underwater cameras.

The HC has now granted four weeks to Tirodkar to implead the coast guard and the Union government as parties to his plea.