Watch towers to be set up near Mamata residence

Kolkata: Two watch towers will be set up around chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat as part of her security beef-up. Around Rs 74 lakhs will be spent to build the two towers which will be manned by the commandoes of the Kolkata Police round the clock.

Sources disclosed that although Ms Banerjee is protected by Z-plus security cover, the aerial vigil aspect of her security ring around her residence remained unaddressed for a long time. On October 13 the state public works department called a tender for the installation by a firm which will also be responsible for its maintenance.

The construction will have to be completed within 90 days, according to the tender. The chief minister gave consent to the plan following which the tender was issued, sources revealed.

Since coming to power in 2011 the Trinamul Congress supremo has preferred to stay in her ancestral residence ignoring requests of senior police officers to shift to a more spacious accommodation.

Her present address, which is located in between Adi Ganga and a narrow lane, also houses the Trinamul office where she chairs important meetings with party leaders.