Surveillance gaps, breached walls and poor patrolling flagged at oil, food and railway installations
A multi-agency security assessment has uncovered critical vulnerabilities at public sector facilities in Manmad, a strategically important town in Maharashtra’s Nashik district. The inspection raised alarms over deteriorating infrastructure, lax patrolling, and surveillance failures at several key sites, including petroleum depots and food storage centres.
The audit, jointly conducted by the State Intelligence Department, District Special Branch, local police, and officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, identified serious lapses in the perimeter security of installations located in and around the Manmad junction — one of the busiest railway hubs in the region.
Manmad is home to major petroleum storage and distribution facilities operated by three oil companies, in addition to a Food Corporation of India (FCI) depot and other essential infrastructure. Officials said the town’s logistical importance — particularly in terms of fuel supply and food storage — made it a potential high-risk target.
“The lack of patrolling by the staff, leaving open spaces within the premises unattended, unguarded boundary walls in remote areas, and many more issues have been listed in the report,” a senior police officer confirmed.
During the inspection, teams visited fuel storage and distribution points, gas bottling plants, railway tanker loading bays, and the FCI facility. They found that boundary walls around some installations had breaches that were either left unrepaired or temporarily covered with metal sheets. In several cases, designated watch towers were not being used effectively, and security personnel failed to maintain adequate patrol routines.
Police sources said the inspection also revealed unsecured sections of the boundary wall in isolated areas, exposing critical infrastructure to potential threats.
A report compiling the findings is being prepared and will be submitted to both state and central government authorities. The officer added, “The security checks revealed several issues. They will be raised at appropriate levels and acted upon accordingly.”
The findings come amid growing concerns over the vulnerability of public infrastructure to sabotage or attacks, particularly in the wake of increased geopolitical tensions. Authorities have yet to comment on whether emergency measures will be implemented while long-term improvements are under consideration.
