MUMBAI, April 14 -- A hi-tech facial recognition system that has improved visitor screening at Mantralaya and curbed footfalls has thrown up an unexpected challenge - over 10,000 visitors have failed to return their RFID entry passes, a key component of the security set-up. The new system was rolled out in phases from January last year following complaints about unauthorised visitors entering the state secretariat. After a visitor is screened for facial recognition, an RFID card stores data relating to their identity as well as personal details, the purpose of their visit, departments they intend to visit, among other things. An RFID pass is then issued, containing the data thus captured as well as tracking features. Visitors are required to return these cards upon exit, but a large number of them have not, neither did the security staff retrieve them at the time. Now, the state secretariat is short of 7,000 RFID passes, each costing over Rs.100. Of the 10,000 missing, 3,000 were returned via post and courier after police sent messages to defaulters, warning of a Rs.5,000 fine and possible denial of future entry to Mantralaya. The problem is, the 7,000 missing cards has created an acute shortage of entry passes, especially on high-footfall days such as weekly cabinet meetings, when visitors exceed 6,000. The government has proposed procuring another 10,000 cards but will need financial approval. A home department official said some visitors have held on to these RFID passes assuming they wouldn't have to be screened afresh upon their next visit to the secretariat. "This is a misconception," the official said. "Others believe these cards, being a Mantralaya entry pass, will help them gain easy access to government offices such as the collectors' office. There are also instances where these cards are brandished at toll plazas by individuals who want to evade tolls, assuming the toll staff would consider them VIPs," the official said. While the state home department suggested shifting to an entirely cardless system based solely on facial recognition, police have opposed the move, citing security concerns. "Physical entry passes are necessary for identification and categorisation of visitors," a police officer said. Home department officials said RFID cards had helped curb unwarranted footfalls in Mantralaya. "Before they were introduced, entry was not difficult since neither was Aadhar authentication nor facial recognition required. Over 4,000 passes were issued daily, while the number would go up to 6,000 on days when the cabinet met. The number has come down by 800 to 1,000 a day," another a home department official. The cards are a boon also because they help the CMO keep tabs on frequent visitors, sharing their data with the police. Police then ask visitors about the nature of their visits. "We block over 1,000 visitors every year due to unruly behaviour or alleged suicide attempts on the Mantralaya premises," the officer said. The state government has spent Rs.41.75 crore on hi-tech security systems for Mantralaya - Rs.1.64 crore on a CCTV network, Rs.40.57 lakh on drones, Rs.6.63 crore on command-and-control rooms, and Rs.6.20 crore on the RFID system. The latter was introduced after the CMO learnt that among the frequent visitors to the secretariat were individuals influencing decisions relating to the transfer of government officials, tendering processes and other official work....