Metro Rail News November 2017

In August’17, central government approved new
metro policy, according to which, the Metro rail
projects will be approved and aided by the Central
government only if there is private
participation and the projects ensures last-mile
connectivity for commuters. The policy allows
respective states to formulate rules and
regulations and it empowers them to establish
permanent fare fixation authorities. This opens up
multiple avenues for investment by private players
in mass transit systems.
System Associated Challenges
In all the metro systems, which are operational, in
India we have different security agencies providing
security cover, it’s pertinent to mention here that
metro systems across the globe are the second
most threatened entities after aviation industry.
The level of security arrangements in all the
metros in India are just secondary to airports on
technical capabilities but when it comes to man
guarding, baring DMRC, all the metros are secured
by various private and state owned security forces
with no unified command or well defined security
regulation.
There have been multiple attacks on metro
systems across the globe, the most recent was in
April 2017 at Saint Petersburg Metro Train in
Russia, where a briefcase bomb packed with
shrapnel exploded on a the train between
Sennaya Ploshchad and Tekhnologichesky Institut
stations. A total of 14 people were killed, and 64
others were injured. While transportation security
officials had been aware of the possible threat of
terrorist attacks on transportation networks for
some time, these tragic events exposed both
vulnerabilities in security systems and the previously
unimaginable consequences of such breaches. The
extensive use of metro transit systems by many
sections of the public makes them highly attractive
targets for terrorists wanting to maximize
commotion and destruction. Accordingly, concerns
about metro transit security rank high among metro
authorities and transit passengers. The vulnerability
of metro systems lies in the fact that they are very
open and accessible, with fixed, expectable routes
and access points. Their openness and
inconspicuousness make it easy for potential
terrorists to fleece in crowds without arousing
suspicion. Securing such open and public systems
presents a series of problems. The volume of
passengers makes it impossible for metro operators
to employ many of the security procedures used in
the aviation security. Preventive security measures
on metro, such as the screening of passengers and
luggage with X-ray scanners and metal detectors,
hand searches, passenger profiling, sniffing dogs,
and armed guards, lead to painful delays and costs.
The need for metro operators to offer mass transit
systems that are accessible, convenient, and
affordable for daily users therefore conflicts with
many security objectives. Attractive, convenient
public metro transit systems help to mitigate many
of the problems of widespread auto/bus/local train
use, and provide mobility for those who do not have
access to cars, including the young, elderly, disabled,
and poor. Therefore, balancing metro riders’ desire
for convenience, accessibility, and affordability with
security measures presents a challenge to transit
operators.
International Security Scenario
Security of mass transit systems is a global issue.
Indeed, many transit systems around the world have
been victimized by terrorists, including the metro
systems of New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, Madrid,
Saint Petersburg and Moscow. An analysis of
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