Mumbai:
It's been over eight months since the north bound carriageway of Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) was thrown open to citizens, but the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is yet to install close circuit television cameras (CCTV).
In fact, the MSRDC has not even received responses from bidders for installing any security gadgets.
The last date of submission of bids was yesterday and none of the companies have turned up to submit bids. MSRDC had extended the date of submission from September 13 to November 15 already once before.
Last year, the then Police Commissioner D Sivanandan had written to MSRDC to install high quality security gadgets on the sea link as it was on the target of terrorists who might use explosives-laden cars for an attack.
An MSRDC official said, "The north carriageway was open in April and till date no CCTV camera has been installed as there are some technical issues."
However a senior official said that the CCTV cameras on the southern carriageway can move in 360 degrees and monitor the northern carriageway as well.
With a man jumping off the BWSL earlier in the month when US President Barack Obama was in town, questions were raised over the lack of security measures.
The cost of construction of the 5.6 km Bandra-Worli Sea Link
Sources say bids had been invited in August for following security gadgets: Re-locatable vehicle explosive scanners; high-speed motorbikes; walkie-talkies; an observation tower; floating buoys; floating jetty and towing vans.
The gadgets will be part of Rs 23 crore package which the MSRDC had asked for from the state Public Works and Home departments.