Upon approaching the Union government by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on the issue of expenditure for security cover for the Metro One project, the Union Home Ministry has directed the MMRDA to get security personnel from central agencies such as the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) for Mumbai’s Versova-Andheri Ghatkopar (VAG) metro corridor. As the project is being developed on a PPP mode, the contractor is expected to look after the security.    

MMRDA has asked the Ministry to clear its stand on the nature of security to be provided for infrastructure projects and fix the responsibility for the expenses incurred towards the security by any central agency.    

There was a tussle between the State and the contractor over the expenditure for security cover for the Metro One project. The MMRDA has approached the Union Ministry of Urban Development to frame security guidelines for transport infrastructure projects. The lack of clarity on security expenses could make the projects, especially those on a public-private-partnership mode, unviable, say media reports.