IANS

Mumbai, Feb 17: Electronic scanners will be installed and speed boats deployed to provide security to the landmark Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL), a minister said Tuesday.

"The state home department and police had expressed the need for installing advanced security apparatus for the purpose of protecting the BWSL from any untoward incidents," Public Works Department Minister Jaydatta Kshirsagar told IANS.

Accordingly, a proposal to install sophisticated electronic X-ray scanners at the two entry and two exit points of the bridge, and deployment of four speed boats below and around the BWSL is being considered.

The four electronic scanners are likely to cost around Rs.5 million and would help scan each vehicle that will enter and exit the BWSL.

At each point, it would entail a delay of around one minute, thereby increasing the travel time taken to cross the bridge.

The proposal will be put for various departmental approvals and sanctions within a week.

About when the new security systems would be in place, Kshirsagar said: "We don't want to delay it, we shall do it as soon as possible, if required even in phases," he said.

The issue was discussed at length in a meeting of officials from the home department, Maharashtra State Roads Development Corporation (MSRDC) and the Public Works Department (PWD) Tuesday, the official said.