Reports of possible terrorist attacks have prompted the Indian Railways to step up security at 185 railway stations across the country.
NEW DELHI: Reports of possible terrorist attacks have prompted the Indian Railways to step up security at 185 railway stations across the country.
Following the 7/11 Mumbai train blasts and the attack on the Samjhauta Express, the Intelligence agencies have identified railway stations at Delhi, Mumbai, Panjim, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Varanasi and Jammu along with 17 metro stations in 50 divisions, as sensitive, ‘soft target’ and ‘vulnerable’ to terrorist attacks.
With a whopping amount of nearly Rs 150 crore set aside for the project, the Railways is planning to further beef up the security cover with gadgets like close circuit televisions (CCTV), cameras, deep-search metal detectors, scanner machines at the stations.
According to Railway officials, hand-held metal detectors and door-frame metal detectors are already being used to conduct anti-sabotage checks in trains and stations. Exit and entry points of the stations are going to be manned while unimportant entry and exit gates will be shut down for access control.
Sniffer dogs are already being deployed to check coaches, parcels, baggage, and search for explosives. The Railways have already tightened security at the departure and arrival points of Samjhauta Express and Thar Express. There is plan to shift the departure of Samjhauta Express from the Old Delhi junction to Safdarjung Station in Delhi. The Railways have elaborate plans to build fences and boundary walls around the stations to prevent unauthorised entry and curb trespassing.
According to R Velu, minister of state for Railways, coaches are being built using more fire-retardant and less toxic materials to reduce the damage caused by fire in case of untoward incidents. Besides, important passenger trains, including the Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express, are being escorted by the RPF personnel.
Between July 2004 and December 2006, they have arrested 209 criminals for drugging, 442 in luggage lifting, 150 in carrying illegal arms, 153 in chain snatching and 142 in pick-pocketing cases.
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