26/11 - Should we just remember or LEARN!

Its the anniversary of a very unfortunate event in Mumbai and all media - print, electronic & outdoor et al. Many are en-cashing the opportunity while many are on the streets paying homage to the unfortunate lives.   Have been hearing across radio today - We will NOT Forget. Mumbai will NOT Forget. That's a debate here - should we just remember or LEARN?   Personally speaking I think its time learn from mistakes & not JUST remember what happened a year back. We have learnt - hence we have posted police outside all hot spots like restaurants, Hotels, monuments, fortified (Really) our bays, water boundaries etc etc but is that enough. Do we really think - they will attack the same spots, via the same route???? I sincerely doubt. Its a constant vigil issue and more to do with alertness and not PANIC - what we are doing is waiting to press the panic button.   Just recap - what happened on that fateful day. They came, they killed, disrupted life, panic, threatened & got killed. Do we all remember seeing these round dome like things at important locations, junctions across city? They were installed with huge budgets & fanfare. The monies spent on these were our money - tax payers money. They were supposed to keep an eye on the suspicious movements. I remember seeing one at Gate of India myself - LONG before this happened. Now answer these few questions:    A. Was it worth the money when the very purpose was defeated - BADLY Defeated. B. When the very purpose was to vigil - why was it not functional - did anyone paid any heed after having spent our hard earned money? C. Why the police force had to rely on CCTV footage by private parties - what happened to CST CCTV? D. Metal detector gates installed at stations - do they work. NO - they are just installed & beep with every passer by - guards are used to it by now. Why?   Hence the crux of the matter is - we remember what happened and try correcting when the damage is done. 1. CCTV & frisking started at stations after the July railway attack. 2. Vigil at hotels & multiplexes after 93 blasts 3. Tightening of water front securities after 26/11 4. Forming NSG after 26/11 5. Vehicle checking after surat blasts   Now mull over these: 1. Try & think of other passage they can take. 2. What avtar they can take? 3. Other weak spot to attack? 4. Modes of travel?   Have you ever thought - ambulances can be the safest to travel, hence hospitals be the weak spots (Again), medical attendants can be the avtar & road be the passage.   Ambulances are free to break the signal, take wrong entry, go uninterrupted, straight to hospitals. As per my limited knowledge, they don't have any code of conduct for operating.   - Are they scrutinized before they are pressed into action?  - every other political wannabe first gifts an ambulance for public use. Most of them you see are sponsored by these parties. - they go unchecked at signals, road blocks etc.   My suggestion (if it reaches right people) is to have GPS compulsory for all Ambulances, let them have smart radio chip that can detect the authenticity of these vehicles remotely. Have one governing body to monitor the no of ambulances pressed in service etc.   It gives me chills whenever I am thinking of the next possible mode. And no when I am talking all this - it is for INDIA & not only Mumbai. Other cities are as important to INDIA as mumbai.   My point expressed, now lets debate & I invite your viewpoints.   Jai Hind!   Naveen Jalan Mumbai +91 98204 15646