Secure or not?

I was in Bombay some time ago and when I landed there I had mentally prepared myself to be stuck at customs for a couple of hours. But to my "disappointment" I wasn't. On the contrary. The only reason why it took me 45 minutes to get out of the airport was because my luggage took a while to come out. I stood in the green channel line to get my bags checked, but I was told to just go ahead and leave. I didn't have to go through scanning of the bags or any other security check. Me including 50 other people in front of me were told to cut the line and leave. 

I was honestly pretty infuriated. It was not too long after the terrorist attacks and the security was so weak anyone could have walked out of the airport with anything packed in their bags. And apparently I was not the only one noticing a lapse in security at the airports.

But, in the city center and all around Bombay I could not have felt more safe. Even though there was "Naka Bandi" - Road checks almost every 1000 meters on some days it made me feel safe. Knowing there could be terrorists still floating amongst us, so the fact that were so many cops in every corner of the city made me secure. It was an odd sight to see barricades at each an every hotel. Not too long ago we could just give our cars in valet right at the doorstep of the Taj, the Oberoi or any other hotel, now we have to leave them outside have the K9 sniff them, get frisked every time we enter any of these hotels and all other security measures. 

Bombay is home and this last time I visited it was hard to see the city that is full of energy, excitement and optimism be this glum.