Kolkata: The 10 residents’ associations at Renaissance Township in Burdwan, from where suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed operative Mohammad Hamim Mondal was arrested on Friday, have convened urgent meetings on Sunday to discuss tighter security measures and stricter checks on tenants moving into apartments and houses in the gated complex.Located off Durgapur Expressway near the Burdwan-Bolpur Road junction, the township is strategically placed with Burdwan, Durgapur, Asansol, Santiniketan and Suri nearby.A day after the arrest, residents said a sense of anxiety and fear had gripped the complex. On Saturday morning, a police van from Burdwan Police Station was seen patrolling the township. Residents peered through apartment windows whenever unfamiliar people entered the premises, while security guards intensified surveillance. Photographs were taken of unknown persons moving around the area.A new body, Renaissance Township Central Welfare Society, has also been formed. Its secretary Kazi Shafiqul Hasan said, “On Sunday, we will hold a meeting with all our members. The main focus of our discussion will be ensuring that houses are rented out only after proper verification of tenants. We will also hold discussions with homeowners on this issue. In addition, security will be a major topic of discussion. We are extremely concerned about the safety and security of the township.”Residents said the management had recently circulated guidelines making police verification of tenants mandatory. Owners renting out flats or bungalows have been asked to submit rent agreements, tenant KYC documents and photographs to the maintenance office before a tenant moves in. The notice also said tenants would not be allowed entry without an NOC or gate pass.With Durga Puja approaching, the associations have also started discussions on forming a central committee to handle future security-related issues and coordinate with police and the township management.Sandip Mandal, general secretary of Burdwan Renaissance Township Allottees’ Welfare Association, said: “We are genuinely worried about security. On Sunday evening, we will hold an emergency meeting with all our members. The key agenda of the meeting will include security, tenant-owner accountability, police verification, and the accountability of homeowners who rent out their properties. We will also discuss, through a central committee involving all the associations, how we can work together in the future to ensure the safety of our children.”Solis Project resident Debu Panja said security personnel needed better training and their numbers were inadequate. He said the “management should be more active and informative.”
