Ludhiana railway police on its toes to prevent mishaps on Chhath Puja

The Government Railway Police (GRP) on Wednesday beefed up security at the railway bridges near the banks of the Satluj River and Jagraon Bridge in Ludhiana on the occasion of Chhath Puja

The Government Railway Police (GRP) on Wednesday beefed up security at the railway bridges near the banks of the Satluj River and Jagraon Bridge on the occasion of Chhath Puja .

Police conducting checking outside the Ludhiana railway station on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

Special teams of the GRP, Ludhiana, headed by the senior police officers including DSP Balram Rana and inspector Jaskaran Singh, were deputed at the railway lines near Satluj, Gill Road Bridge and Jagraon Bridge, where a large number of people gathered to celebrate the festival.

“Patrolling at the railway tracks near the Satluj becomes really important during Chhath, as devotees tend to gather near its banks or the banks of other water channels near railway lines to pray. To avoid any rail mishap, GRP teams were deployed,” said inspector Singh.

In the past week, special checking drives were initiated by the RPF along with the railway staff at the Ludhiana railway station in view of the heavy rush of migrants travelling back home for Diwali and Chhath Puja. Also, checking of trains ferrying migrants was carried out by officials from the Ferozpur division and over ₹40 lakh was recovered from passengers travelling without tickets.

Despite numerous special festival trains started by the Northern Railways, many people faced problems in getting reserved tickets in absence of general coaches.

Luggage scanner at rly station a white elephant

The lone luggage scanner at the Ludhiana railway station, which is one of the busiest in the state and has three main entries, was not of much help for the security forces. People were seen entering the railway station without getting their luggage checked through the scanner.

An official on duty at the scanner said that the machine becomes non-operational at times due to overheating.

A senior railway official said that a proposal to replace the scanner has been sent to the higher authorities.