Obama's India visit: For Barack Obama's security, Delhi's IGI Metro may shut on Republic Day
Delhi Police argued that the window of the president's suite will have bulletproof shields and an attack from the tracks would not be possible.
By Raj Shekhar, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police might have to ask Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to shut down a part or the whole of Airport Metro during US president Barack Obama's stay at ITC Maurya as the presidential suite is apparently "extremely approachable" from the tracks and is reportedly posing a major security hazard.
Terming it a major security breach, the United States Secret Service has brought the lapse to the notice of Delhi Police on Wednesday and sought immediate steps. Earlier, the US asked the area over Rajpath be declared a no-fly zone.
Though Delhi Police argued that the window of the president's suite will have bulletproof shields and an attack from the tracks would not be possible as it would already be under surveillance, US intelligence agents pointed out that a missile can still be fired from this "vulnerable stretch".
The Delhi Police commissioner has chaired a meeting in this connection and Metro authorities have also been consulted but a practical solution to the problem was not achieved till Thursday evening. While shutting down the Metro is not being considered a feasible step, police are looking at other options like deploying extra commandos on the tracks. The other option would have been to shift Obama's suite but the Secret Service has opposed this move.
Police are now trying to reach a consensus and the home ministry is being consulted. Delhi Metro has been asked if they have a solution to this problem. Airport Metro is now going to be sanitized by Thursday evening with Indian and US security agents taking over.
Though India rejected the US proposal to declare a no-fly zone over Rajpath on Republic Day at first, they had to give in later. The US then asked that only American snipers be deployed on the rooftops of buildings overlooking Rajpath, but this demand was politely turned down. The US officials were told that their Indian counterparts are well-trained and equipped to provide protective cover to VVIP.
Terming it a major security breach, the United States Secret Service has brought the lapse to the notice of Delhi Police on Wednesday and sought immediate steps. Earlier, the US asked the area over Rajpath be declared a no-fly zone.
Though Delhi Police argued that the window of the president's suite will have bulletproof shields and an attack from the tracks would not be possible as it would already be under surveillance, US intelligence agents pointed out that a missile can still be fired from this "vulnerable stretch".
The Delhi Police commissioner has chaired a meeting in this connection and Metro authorities have also been consulted but a practical solution to the problem was not achieved till Thursday evening. While shutting down the Metro is not being considered a feasible step, police are looking at other options like deploying extra commandos on the tracks. The other option would have been to shift Obama's suite but the Secret Service has opposed this move.
Police are now trying to reach a consensus and the home ministry is being consulted. Delhi Metro has been asked if they have a solution to this problem. Airport Metro is now going to be sanitized by Thursday evening with Indian and US security agents taking over.
Though India rejected the US proposal to declare a no-fly zone over Rajpath on Republic Day at first, they had to give in later. The US then asked that only American snipers be deployed on the rooftops of buildings overlooking Rajpath, but this demand was politely turned down. The US officials were told that their Indian counterparts are well-trained and equipped to provide protective cover to VVIP.
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