A police outpost with a few constables will soon come up at the fort in Vellore to enhance the existing security arrangements within the protected monument.
At present, the fort, which is spread over 37 acres covering a 3 km radius at the heart of the town, is being manned by a handful of security guards from private security agency.
They were deployed by the ASI that maintains the 16th century monument.
This thin layer of security arrangement has made the fort complex that houses historical buildings and structures vulnerable.
More importantly, the vast premises remains a challenge for better surveillance.
Though petty offences are common inside the complex, even serious crimes have been reported.
A few years ago, Vellore police filed a case pertaining to rape allegedly committed on the fort premises. “Presence of police outpost will act as a deterrent against crime,” said M. Varadaraj Suresh, Archaeological Officer, ASI (Vellore).
Tucked between the Bengaluru Highway and the Central Prison, the fort has 58 colonial buildings, including Mughal-styled Mahals with minarets where the Mysore king Hyder Ali and his warrior son, Tipu Sultan, spent their last years as prisoners with their families.
Most of these buildings were occupied by government offices such as the Collectorate and sub-registrar office before they were relocated three decades ago. Since then, these dilapidated structures were exposed to the elements. The fort also has British era church, mosque and an ancient Shiva temple that attracts a large number of visitors.
One of the key challenges to ensure safety of visitors is manning the vast premises. In fact, the north and south police stations are located at the opposite ends of the parapet wall of the fort.
“We are ready to set up a police outpost on the fort premises. We will work on it with the local ASI officials to ensure safety of visitors,” Albert John, ASP (Vellore), told The Hindu.
Under the ambitious Smart City Project, the fort is expected to get a face-lift, including better lighting systems, high-end CCTV cameras, seating arrangements and other facilities for visitors.
As the project moves at a snail’s pace, ASI officials said the new police outpost would be a stop-gap measure in providing security for visitors.
