Mumbai, Feb 27: A day after 26 year old woman was raped inside the state transport bus in Swargate depot from Pune, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Thursday announced a slew of measures to upgrade security in buses and depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

The minister called for the use of Artificial Technology, installation of CCTVs and GPS system in buses, installation of alarm and locking systems in buses, disposal of scrapped buses, four-wheelers and two-wheelers currently parked in various depots by April 15 and safety audit of all bus depots.

Further, the minister said the department will appeal to the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for the deployment of a senior IPS officer in the MSRTC to supervise and handle the security-related issues.

The minister further stated that the department and MSRTC will also seek help from various undertakings and the state security board to deploy more security guards in the bus depots across the state.

Currently, there are only 2,700 security guards, comprising fewer women, so the department will desire more security guards and also about 15 to 20 per cent additional women as security guards.

Sarnaik was speaking after he chaired a high-level meeting with the officers of the transport department and MSRTC to review the present security arrangements at MSRTC depots and further steps to be taken to improve the safety of women in particular. He has already ordered an inquiry into the rape case and asked the administration to suspend the concerned officers if found lapses in their functioning.

“There are about 15,000 buses, including newly inducted EV buses in the fleet of MSRTC. It was decided to use AI to improve security in buses and at the depots. The CCTVs, GPS system, alarm and locking systems will be installed in these buses. In addition, the scrapped buses, two and four wheelers not in use currently, parked at various depots, will be disposed of by April 15 so that the anti-social elements should not take undue advantage. The disposal of these scrapped vehicles will be jointly conducted by the transport department, regional transport offices and MSRTC,” he said.

He further added that there are around 800 bus depots and stations where these security arrangements will be further strengthened and the cleanliness there will also be implemented.

“The department will soon conduct a safety and security audit of these depots,” the minister said.

Sarnaik said that the department will make a special appeal to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to depute an IPS officer in the MSRTC to look after security aspects. He added that the post has been lying vacant despite the department’s request made in the past.

Sarnaik said that he has already ordered a departmental inquiry by senior officers about the functioning of the assistant transport superintendent and Swargate depot manager. They will be suspended immediately if lapses are found while discharging their duties. He said he has asked the acting MSRTC vice chairman and managing director Vivek Bhimanwar to immediately institute an inquiry.

Sarnaik said that his department accords priority to women’s safety. According to him, under the Mahila Samman Yojana, women are given 50 per cent discount on their travels from MSRTC buses. He further stated that due to this, the number of women passengers has increased substantially.

Kolkata, Feb 27: The parents of the victim in the R.G. Kar rape and murder case have sought the appointment of the Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to complain about the reluctance of the investigating officials in updating them about the progress of the investigation.

The victim’s parents also left for Delhi on Thursday morning, and after reaching there, they will try to reach out to the CBI Director about the matter. At the national capital, they will also be meeting the team of lawyers who are representing them at the Supreme Court.

Noted advocate Karuna Nundy is currently representing the victim’s parents at the apex court, where the next hearing in the matter is scheduled for March 17.

Before leaving for Delhi, the victim’s parents interacted with the media persons and expressed their anguish on the role of CBI’s investigating officials in the matter. They also accused the investigating officers of not answering their phone calls.

“We are going to New Delhi to meet our counsel Karuna Nundy. The legal team who are representing us at the special court in Kolkata are also accompanying us to New Delhi. Some senior medical practitioners are also accompanying us. We will go to the CGO complex in New Delhi and try to meet the CBI director. At the same time, we will be discussing with our counsels on whether the matter can be brought back to Calcutta High Court from the Supreme Court,” the victim’s father told media persons before leaving for the national capital.

The victim’s mother said their main complaint against the CBI is the slow pace of investigation, especially as regards the angle of tampering with or altering of the evidence in the case.

The CBI counsel, on February 24, informed the special court in Kolkata that their investigation into the matter is underway and a supplementary charge sheet in the matter will be filed shortly. Incidentally, the special court had recently sentenced the sole convict in the crime, Sanjay Roy, to life imprisonment.

Mumbai, Feb 27: NCP-SP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule on Thursday flagged an old letter written by the Swargate bus depot chief in Maharashtra’s Pune to the police regarding the security situation of the depot. A woman was sexually assaulted on a bus at the depot.

She also said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the home minister, needs to immediately review the law and order situation in Pune and take strict measures regarding women’s safety as well as the safety of bus stations.

Sule’s demand came a day after a 26-year-old was raped inside the bus of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) at the Swargate bus depot in Pune. Further, Sule, who has termed the incident intriguing, said that the chief minister needs to convene a meeting soon as the Swargate bus depot chief recently wrote to the Pune police administration seeking action against the private agents and other anti-social elements who are harassing the passengers.

In her post on X, Sule, who has attached the letter written by the Swargate bus depot chief to the police, said, “After the incident of sexual assault on a young woman in the premises of the Swargate bus station, serious questions have been raised regarding law and order. The Swargate depot chief has already written to the police administration from time to time that private agents and other anti social elements are harassing the passengers at the bus station and action should be taken against them. But still, it does not appear that the police administration has taken any action. The Swargate bus station is a busy place and the police system needs to be more vigilant there. It if the depot chief writes a letter and it is not taken into account the. It is very regrettable. The state home minister needs to immediately review the law and order situation in Pune and take strict measures regarding women’s safety and the safety of the bus station.”

Further, the Maharashtra Legislative Council deputy chairperson, Neelam Gorhe, who is also the founder of Stree Aadhar Kendra, has asked the police administration and transport department for the establishment of women’s vigilance committees at all bus stations in the state to further increase women’s safety.

Gorhe, who had visited the Swargate bus depot and the bus in which the sexual assault took place, also instructed that the number of security guards at bus depots should be increased and that the depot administration should regularly check CCTV footage, especially during the night.

Meanwhile, Pune police have formed 13 teams to arrest Dattatray Gade, a history sheeter involved in the bus rape incident. The police have also announced an award of Rs one lakh for giving information about Gade, who is still at large.