New Delhi: Delhi Police is conducting a security audit of temples across the city in view of last Nov’s car blast near Red Fort and potential terror threats from Lashkar-e-Taiba modules.An audit of the 800-year-old Gauri Shankar Mandir in Chandni Chowk has found that its entry and exit points are poorly regulated. There is no frisking or screening. Door-frame metal detectors, hand-held metal detectors and baggage scanners are absent.The number of private guards and volunteers is insufficient, and there is no structured deployment plan. CCTV cameras are installed but lack dedicated monitoring staff. Fire-safety arrangements are inadequate, and evacuation plans and emergency signage are absent.Police have recommended regulating the temple’s entry and exit through designated gates, installing door-frame metal detectors and baggage scanners, and deploying trained security personnel. Cops have also suggested enhancing CCTV monitoring with adequate backup, introducing a centralised public address (PA) system, improving fire safety and medical facilities, implementing a proper evacuation plan with signage and relocating shoe counters to ease congestion and ensure the smooth movement of devotees.At Shri Digamber Jain Lal Mandir near Red Fort, entry and exit points have been found to be inadequately regulated, with devotees moving freely without being frisked by hand-held metal detectors. Only two door frame metal detectors are installed. There is no baggage screening facility or a cloakroom.Fire and medical preparedness are minimal, a PA system and evacuation plans are absent, parking is unregulated and rooftop access is uncontrolled, sources in the police department say.“Recommendations include installing regulated gates and baggage scanners, deploying trained personnel with hand-held metal detectors, enhancing CCTV monitoring, starting a centralised PA system, fire and first-aid facilities, relocating shoe counters and putting in place an evacuation plan with signage and rooftop security measures,” the sources say.The audits of the north Delhi temples were conducted under the supervision of joint commissioner of police (central) Madhur Verma and deputy commissioner of police (north) Raja Banthia.At Yamuna Bazar’s Pracheen Hanuman Mandir, which records 60,000 to 70,000 devotees on Tuesdays, including VVIP visitors, similar gaps have been observed: inadequate security personnel, lack of fire-fighting and first-aid facilities, multiple unregulated entry points, low boundary walls, limited screening with only two door frame metal detectors and unregulated parking.Police recommendations include strengthening perimeter walls with view cutters, expanding CCTV coverage with dedicated monitoring, deploying trained staff, installing cabins to frisk woman devotees, putting in place a centralised PA system, enhancing fire and medical preparedness, controlling entry and exit points and improving traffic management.At Bankhandi Shiv Mandir, opposite Delhi Railway Station, the front entrance lacks a proper gate. The boundary wall is almost dilapidated in stretches. No security guards are deployed, though CCTV cameras exist. Recommendations include repairing and raising its boundary walls, installing a fencing and a proper main gate and deploying security personnel.At Chandni Chowk’s Narsingh Hanuman Mandir, which attracts 1,000–1,500 devotees on peak days, lapses include unregulated gates, absence of frisking, baggage scanners, cloakroom facilities, and limited CCTV coverage without monitoring. Recommendations include putting up regulated gates, metal detectors, baggage scanners, cabins to frisk woman devotees, employing trained personnel, enhancing CCTV monitoring, putting in place a centralised PA system, fire and first-aid facilities, drawing up an evacuation plan and relocating shoe counters.
