The big fear for many mall proprietors is the possibility of a copycat attack in the wake of the siege of the Westgate shopping mall by militants from Al Shabaab, a Somali terrorist organisation linked to al-Qaeda.
The deadly assault on a luxury Nairobi mall on Saturday has sent shockwaves around the world, raising concerns about security at shopping centres amid fears of copycat violence and other terror attacks.
The mall is what security experts often call a soft target. But has security in and around city malls really been beefed upIJ A quick reality check by The Pioneer found that nothing much has changed on the ground. Malls still lack the security wherewithal to deal with incursions notwithstanding Delhi Police top brass waxing eloquent on elaborate security measures.
Popular malls in the Capital seem to have floundered in devising a foolproof security system. The security arrangements seem to exist on paper only. Most metal detectors failed to spot banned items and permitted entry. Unarmed security personnel from private agencies were ill-equipped to prevent an imminent strike.
It was found that metal detectors at the malls in Vasant Kunj and Saket failed to distinguish knives and other sharp objects.DlF Promenade too was no Fort Knox. A weapon could easily be smuggled inside. On questioning the guards on duty, they claimed that they had seen the knife on X-ray but did not flinch since many women are known to carry a Swiss Army knife for personal safety. The security officer in-charge of the mall however, assured us of greater security saying mall staff would frisk more carefully in future.
Security personnel deployed outside the Promenade are enlisted from a private agency but were unarmed. Ditto with DlF Emporio and Ambience. Terraces and parking areas were safe hiding grounds despite cameras being installed at strategic points. The police booth stationed between the two malls was seen lying vacant in the afternoon. The traffic islands saw little or no police presence. Bags were manually checked at Ambience and security seemed apathetic.
The situation seemed a tad better at Saket. A PCR van was constantly on the rounds. Staff at the help desk was on call assisted by men and women constables.
While the metal detectors at Select Citywalk could perceive sharp objects, sadly the security personnel were not on their guard thus, allowing easy access. mercifully, parking areas and terraces were inaccessible due to security deployment.