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Inspection team flags security lapses at Ambala Cantt railway station
A joint team of various national and state security agencies, recently, conducted a security audit of Ambala Cantonment railway station and found several derelictions.Officials said the inspection was carried out following orders of CID additional director general of police (ADGP) Alok Mittal and the stakeholders to discuss how the lapses can be resolved to strengthen the security of the station.
A joint team of various national and state security agencies, recently, conducted a security audit of Ambala Cantonment railway station and found several derelictions.
The team comprising officials from Indian Air Force (IAF), Indian Army, Haryana Police, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), railway intelligence and others, checked various entry and exit points apart from the premises of the railway station, one of the busiest in the country.
Officials said the inspection was carried out following orders of CID additional director general of police (ADGP) Alok Mittal and the stakeholders to discuss how the lapses can be resolved to strengthen the security of the station.
Ambala Cantt deputy superintendent (DSP) Rajnish Kumar said there are several unauthorised entry points and the three official gates, despite being equipped with sufficient handheld metal detectors, lack a door-frame detector.
“There is only one baggage scanner at the station that also remains non-operational due to technical failure. Several breaches were also found in the 1-km long wall along the railway tracks from where locals enter and cross the tracks. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras were found less in number at the premises and entry gates,” the cop told HT.
The lack of proper security measures has persisted for a prolonged period. Officials, while responding to a query about the same, had earlier last year said a total of 110 CCTVs had to be installed at the station. A year later, their number remains less than half of that figure.
The team also took note of less-than-required RPF and GRP manpower and a few lapses at the parking site.
The DSP said, “It was found that the parking contractors were not writing the full number of the vehicle and the GRP has been asked to notify them, asking to write a full number with state and district code, apart from the mobile number of the owner. A full report has been submitted to the DRM for action.”
Notably, in October 2011, a team of Delhi and Haryana Police recovered 5.6 kg of RDX, five timers and five detonators hidden in an abandoned car at the parking lot of the station.
The station is a major junction of North India and enjoys unique proximity with capitals of three states – Chandigarh, joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, and Shimla of Himachal Pradesh.
While there are no official figures on the exact footfall, old railways estimates suggest that the Ambala division handles approximately 2 crore passengers daily, majorly at five stations — Saharanpur, Ambala Cantt, Bathinda, Kalka and Chandigarh. The division manages around 140 stations.
