Residents of Ahmedabad have raised serious concerns over the deteriorating security arrangements at the city's public spaces. Over the past eight years, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has been flooded with more than a thousand written complaints against the behaviour of security personnel deployed by private agencies.
A Pattern of Negligence and Citizen Outcry
Data obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act paints a troubling picture. The AMC, which outsources security for public places, parks, gardens, and its own offices, has received a staggering 1,106 complaints from vigilant citizens. The majority of these grievances highlight guards slacking off, sleeping on duty, or abandoning their prescribed uniforms.
Currently, 15 private security agencies are contracted by the municipal body. Despite the evident lapses in service, the corporation has paid these firms a colossal sum of Rs 211 crore over the same eight-year period. In response to the complaints, the AMC did impose penalties, fining the agencies a total of Rs 4.38 crore.
Call for Systemic Overhaul and Direct Recruitment
Advocate and Jamalpur resident Atik Saiyed, who analyzed the RTI data, emphasized the gravity of the situation. "The fact that AMC had to impose a fine of Rs 4.38 crore clearly indicates that the agencies failed to comply with the rules," Saiyed stated. He pointed out that the corporation entrusts the protection of vital public infrastructure and officials to these private entities.
Saiyed proposed concrete solutions to curb the corruption and inefficiency:
- The AMC should stop outsourcing and create its own dedicated security cell.
- Manpower should be acquired through direct recruitment to ensure accountability.
- A transparent facility must be introduced for citizens to easily register complaints.
- Contracts of security firms accumulating repeated fines and complaints should be terminated immediately.
The Road Ahead for Public Safety
The revelations underscore a significant gap between the expenditure on security and the quality of service delivered to Ahmedabad's citizens. The substantial number of complaints suggests widespread public dissatisfaction with the current privatized model. The imposed fines, while acknowledging faults, represent only a fraction of the total payment made to the agencies.
The debate now centers on whether the AMC will continue with the existing system or heed calls for an in-house, directly recruited security force to better safeguard the city's public spaces and restore citizen trust.
