Chavan, ministers walk to assembly, leave cars at gates

Friday, March 19, 2010 | AA
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, his cabinet colleagues and other senior officials Thursday parked their official vehicles outside the gates of the state legislature and walked down to the house in view of heightened security measures.

Security around the state legislature, at Nariman Point in south Mumbai, has been tightened following intelligence reports that the complex was on terror hit list, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal informed the legislative council (upper house).

"Following police and intelligence inputs that the state legislature building is among the top vital installations on the terror hit list, security has been tightened here," Bhujbal said.

Among the measures implemented is a bar on permitting the official vehicles entering the legislature complex. Chavan took the lead by leaving his car at the main gate and walking down the few metres to the entrance of the house.

Bhujbal, Home Minister R.R. Patil and other ministers and senior legislature officials also followed suit and marched up to the Vidhan Bhavan minus their official vehicles. All legislators also had to leave their vehicles and walk in.

Earlier, the vehicles were permitted right up to the foyer of the Vidhan Bhavan from where the VVIPs would go to their respective chambers, the legislative assembly or the legislative council.

Bhujbal assured members that the security measures were not intended as a slight to any member but in the interest of everybody's safety.

The security measures will remain in force during the entire budget session, which began Thursday.

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