Despite the high alert, policemen stand mute witnesses as passengers ignore metal detectors placed at Howrah (top) and Sealdah stations on Monday.

Sealdah and Howrah stations are among the most likely targets of terror attacks in and around Calcutta. But two days after the Centre put the city on high alert following the blasts in Bangalore, Metro found the security measures at the two stations, where lakhs converge daily, exist only on paper:

Sealdah station

Footfall: Over 14 lakh daily

Official voice: “The number of security personnel has been increased. The dog squad is doing the rounds of the station. We have asked people to be alert,” said B.K. Mullick, the GRP superintendent of Sealdah.

Reality check: Out of the 15 entry and exit points, only seven had metal detector door frames. Six of them were manned by police. But most people were not passing through the frames. Even if they were, the cops ignored the beeps. Sniffer dogs and handheld metal detectors could not be seen. Railway sources said the dogs were checking only trains like Rajdhani.

Officers at the GRP booth were relaxing under the fan. The public address system was not playing the standard announcement asking people to alert authorities about unclaimed objects.

Unclaimed crates and jute sacks were strewn around. “The GRP men are not even trying to find out what is inside the crates,” said Indrajeet Maity, a commuter. The men in uniform were absent at Sealdah South section. “There is a manpower crunch. We have modern equipment but nobody to use them. We need female security personnel,” said a GRP officer.

Howrah station

Footfall: About 8 lakh daily

Official voice: Howrah GRP superintendent Shankar Singh refused to speak about security arrangements. Senior officers claimed that a tight security ring was in place.

Reality check: More than 30 cars were packed into the parking lot inside the station but not a single security person could be seen.

Scanners and metal detector door frames were being used only on six of the 22 platforms. Some GRP officers were hanging around but they did not bother to monitor the beeps from the metal detectors. “People will beat us up if we force them to pass through the detectors,” said an officer. Several boxes lay unclaimed for more than half an hour near platform No. 4 but were ignored by the men in uniform.

The attitude of the security personnel worried some commuters. “A lesson should have been learnt after the recent blasts in congested areas. The policemen will be caught napping if there is a terrorist attack on the station,” said Shireen Ghosh, a commuter.

“We are understaffed and need almost 200 more people. If the men are sent to check the trains, there won’t be anyone to man the gates,” said a GRP inspector.