MSRDC to take steps to secure Bandra-Worli Sealink: Sivanandan

The city police chief has asked the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to take appropriate steps to secure the newly-constructed Bandra-Worli Sealink from the possibility of a "spectacular" terror attack.        

The city Police Commissioner D Sivanandan, through a letter, asked the MSRDC, which constructed the Rs 1600-crore bridge officially known as the Rajeev Gandhi Sea Link, to install mobile/gantry-based explosive scanners on the bridge.        

"The terrorists may/can use explosive laden cars for staging a spectacular attack (especially in the cable-stayed portion of the sealink)," stated the letter dated July 27.The letter, addressed to Satish Gawai, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of MSRDC, further stated, "It is necessary to install mobile/gantry-based (human-safe) explosive scanners at either end of the sea link. Such scanners are presently used by the sea ports for scanning."  

The police chief has also suggested that no vehicle should be allowed to be stopped near the cable-stayed area. The bridge has an average daily traffic of around 25,000 vehicles on weekdays.