Body scanners, glass on visitors gallery after security breach in Parliament

New Delhi, DHNS: After the security breach in the Parliament, the authorities are working to revamp the system. A plan is underway to allot separate entrances to MPs, staff members, and the press, sources said.

Visitors will enter from a fourth gate, sources said. Entry to Parliament galleries has been banned till further order. The visitors' galleries are likely to be encased in glass to stop people from jumping inside the House. Body scan machines, similar to those in airports, will be installed, sources added. The number of security personnel inside will also be increased.

Visitors will have to pass a four-tier security system. In the Old Building, security staff used to usher visitors out of the gallery near the deadline of their stay. However, their deployment has been nearly absent in the galleries of the new building as they have been busy with duties at different places amid changing security needs and requirements of the new place, sources said.

The sanctioned strength of security officials in the hierarchy ranging from Special Director (Security) to Security Assistant Grade-II is around 301 while the actual strength is 176 - a shortage of 125, the PTI said, quoting sources.

Importantly, most vacancies are among entry-level officials. Against a sanctioned strength of 72 in Security Assistant Grade-II, actual strength is only nine, adding that the corresponding figure for Security Assistant Grade-I is 24 against a sanctioned strength of 69. There has been no fresh recruitment for over 10 years, the PTI said quoting sources.

In the all-party meeting convened by Speaker Om Birla, several leaders raised these issues. Birla assured them that corrective measures will be undertaken after a thorough review.