The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) has seven unguarded entry points. Though it has 28 doorframe metal detectors, there are only two baggage scanners.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) has seven unguarded entry points. Though it has 28 doorframe metal detectors, there are only two baggage scanners.
A test check on security at CST revealed that though there were more than 2.5 lakh passengers and over a thousand trains originating and terminating daily, the security personnel deployed were grossly inadequate with only 159 (110 Railway Protection Force and 49 Government Railway).
This is what a CAG of India report revealed, ripping apart the railway security officials’ claims on additional security measures at the CST, which was targeted by terrorists in November 2008.
Even as the Government Railway Police are observing Railway Safety Week, many loopholes have been exposed in its security measures.
A comprehensive assessment report done independently for the first time by the CAG of India due to increased threat on railways has thrown up startling facts.
The field studies in Mumbai by the CAG team have found unescorted trains, an untrained dog squad in the Western Railway and loopholes in security at CST and Borivli. “The exercise indicates the need for increasing the deployment of security personnel in improving the security provided for passengers and passenger areas,” the report adds.
On the Western Railway, it was noticed that 12 dogs had been hired by Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, Mumbai Central, for Churchgate, Mumbai Central, Borivli, Surat and Virar stations incurring an expenditure of Rs48.13 lakh up to March 2010. But the dogs were unable to detect gunpowder and explosives as they had no training.
A sample study of crowded stations like Borivli was found that it did not have door-frame metal detectors. The report states that the audit’s objectives, scope of study and methodology were discussed with director general of the Railway Protection Force as well as with the general managers in the zones.
Railway officials refused to comment on the report, but said that they had studied it and were plugging the suggested loopholes in phases.
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