With the Shanghai rail transport security service team established yesterday, the first batch of 382 professional security guards specifically for local rail transport served at the 48 metro stations in Shanghai, the Oriental Morning Post reported today.

"Disasters have frequently taken place in other countries over the past years, and rail transport security has become a significant part of a city's public security," said Huang Jianzhi, vice director with the Shanghai Construction Commission.

With a daily passenger flow of more than 1.4 million and a closed structure, Shanghai's rail transport lines are often overloaded.  Enhancing rail transport security is important, Huang indicated.

With a two-month public recruitment, training and examination process, the first batch of 382 professional guards began work at the RT No.1, No.2 and No.3 yesterday.

The Shanghai Metro Operation Company will invest 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million) a year, paying for these personnel.

"The training also includes developing the ability to deal with emergencies", said the spokesman with the local rail transport public security department. Currently, no security examination doors are available at the local metro stations, but the guards can carry-out the necessary checks of passengers with the guidance of local police, the spokesman pointed out. He added that they have 33 female guards to communicate with female passengers more conveniently.

Professional guards often patrol the metro stations and can save those who want to commit suicides, he said.

Three to six guards are assigned to ordinary stations, while 12 are at the key transport hubs such as the People's Square station. They usually work on a morning and middle-shift basis, he pointed out, adding that they usually work at the stations and will not enter the trains.

(Shanghai Daily September 30, 2004)