This is about the worsening peace and order situation in Mumbai that resulted in the death and injury to hundreds of foreigners and guests of Taj Mahal, a five-star hotel located in the business center of Mumbai
A good number of business people representing the international business community with business interests in Mumbai are asking why there was a very relaxed security inside Taj Mahal, a popular five star hotel located in the business center of Mumbai, when violence erupted.
Business people consider security in most business decisions that they make especially if it involves the choice of location. Certainly some foreign businessmen that were caught in the Mumbai violence were as surprised and stunned as the other hotel guests by the outbreak of violence in the center of business in Mumbai.
It is unimaginable how Hotel Taj Mahal, a five-star hotel could be an easy prey for terrorist armed with high-powered firearms. It is a little understandable if the assault was carried out with the use mostly of bombs which could be planted in strategic places of the hotel without the security guards noticing them.
But seeing the terrorist with their guns being used to terrorize foreigners, is a different story altogether. Were they not bodily searched when they entered the hotel or a least subjected to some kinds of metal detectors? Metal detectors and body search are done in almost all hotels and public places in the world. Hotels guests understand that body and bag searches are done for their security and are now universally accepted because of the advent international terrorism especially in the Middle East.
If the terrorists came in groups with their firearms, why were they not engaged by the security guards or the local police detailed at the hotel. Certainly, the hotel being one of the biggest in Mumbai has a complement of private security staff with direct link to the nearest police station.
Mumbai is a very progressive city and center of trade in India. Hotel Taj Mahal is a very prestigious and popular hotel that is known as a gathering place of foreign businessmen, local politicians and business leaders of India. What happened in Taj Mahal certainly sends a strong message to the international business community to take a second look at relocating their operations in Mumbai.
At the aftermath of this horrific event, government authorities must move quickly in restoring peace and order in the city of Mumbai. Many believe that if the present level of violence continues in the next few days, some if not most of the foreign businessmen and executives of multinational companies will think of relocating their operations to other countries offering better work and business environments.
