The UT Administration is all set to learn the ropes of developing a high-tech underground Police control room from Singapore Government.
A team of senior UT Police officials will be sent to Singapore to get acquainted with the technicalities of underground control room, which has been developed in Singapore in the past.
The UT Administration has planned to set up an underground Police control room which would work 24/7 in Chandigarh on the pattern of Singapore for effective policing.
While talking to The Pioneer, UT Home Secretary Anil Kumar said, “We have decided to send a team of Police officials from Chandigarh to Singapore to study the functioning of the Police control room and other technicalities related to the construction of the underground facility.”
He said, “The study visit is primarily aimed at gaining technical know-how of the functioning of the underground police control room in Singapore.”
He added, “Directions in this regard have been sent to the UT Police Department. And, DIG Alok Kumar is looking after the project. Soon, the names of cops who would visit Singapore would be finalized.”
After the directions of Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Shivraj Patil last year, the Administration had initiated process to set up an underground control system in Chandigarh.
UT Home Secretary said, “The underground Police Control will function 24/7 and would strengthen the policing and law and order system in the city.”
“It has been proposed that the underground control room will also act as an integrated field shelter in case of attacks by weapons of mass destruction viz nuclear, chemical and biological besides strengthening the Police force in the city,” he added.
A detailed project report (DPR) for the construction of this belowground facility has already been prepared. The technical proposal for the construction of proposed underground CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) protected control room has been prepared by the Dass Hitachi limited.
The control room will be well equipped with high tech detection instruments like flash sensor for detection of nuclear radiation, bio-sensor and chemical sensors for detection of chemical agents. Besides, chemical monitors, radiation monitors and bio- monitors will be installed in the control room for contamination check. An instrument called Radio Photo luminescent Dosimeter (RPlD) which measures radiation dosage that an individual has absorbed has also been proposed to be placed in the control room.
As per the proposal, the underground control room will work on the principle of over-pressure with appropriate warning system, pressure release and anti-blast valves.
As the underground control room will be armed with high-tech instruments, the budget estimates would likely be in crores of rupees and the Administration will seek financial assistance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
After gaining first hand experience from the proposed visit, the UT Administration will write to the MHA and would also send DPR of the project for final nod.
According to the technical proposal, an air tight shelter having adequate space to accommodate upto 30 persons for over 96 hours along with requisite stores, equipment and beds has been planned for the senior Police officials and others in case of nuclear, biological or chemical (NBC) warfare.
The major sub-systems of integrated field shelter (IFS) consists of modules like entry and exit points, utilities, decontamination chamber, vestibules in between modules and double door entry system. The proposed control room will have components and facilities like NBC ventilation systems (3 sets) with coarse, fine and NBC filters.
“It would have automatic NBC warning system with change over facility, electrification including generator sets and fittings, water supply and water disposal, decontamination facility, communication system (EPABX), miscellaneous items like fire fighting equipments, drinking water, utilities including wash basin, bunks, work bench, toilets and others,” stated the technical proposal.
The technical project report has stated that the supply of contamination free air, detection and monitoring quality of air by chemical detectors, contamination check with personal decontamination kits, anti-dote kits will also be ensured in the IFS.