Pushkarams, Independence-Day pose security challenge

Visakhapatnam: As the Krishna Pushkarams is falling just before the Independence Day, and the city, the financial capital of the state, is under the terror radar as per the police report, ensuring tight security at the city railway station has turned out to be a major challenge owing to shortage of protection personnel and lack of advanced combating equipment.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel entrusted with protection and safeguard of railway property, passenger and passenger area are discharging the uphill task despite being understaffed and under-equipped. It is learnt that the security personnel and safety wing officials have been directed to stay alert and closely monitor movements in and around the station in view of the ensuing river fete and Independence Day. The CCTV command centre has also been asked to review the video footage continuously.

According to railway sources, about 800 RPF personnel have been deployed in the Waltair Division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) against the need of about 2,000 personnel. Moreover, the sanctioned strength of RPF posts is still at 1,000, though over the years, the number of platforms in most of the stations and passenger footfalls have increased in the division.

“In Visakhapatnam, there are about 120 RPF personnel, which is very less given the requirement. Hence, one RPF personnel is being assigned for a task where four personnel should have been. Such situations could lead to security collapse. The railway board should seriously take note of it,” said a railway official.   

 While checking at the designated entry points have been taken for granted, there is only one luggage scanner at the station. On the technical aspects, more CCTV cameras have been sought by the RPF personnel, but they are yet to be sanctioned.  Moreover, the railways has failed to upgrade the arms and ammunition provided to the RPF personnel at the stations.