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Ludhiana: Railway police short on staff despite security threats
The Northern Railways geared up to step up security measures at stations but lack of manpower hindered the process.
After receiving a series of threats from the ISI and a few national rebel groups, the Northern Railways has decided to step up security measures at stations. The latest move, however, has brought to fore the lack of manpower with the Government Railway.
The jurisdiction for the local GRP troops stretches from Sahnewal to Goraya and from Ludhiana to Nanaksar. Thirty-four personnel, divided into 17 patrol teams, have so far been deputed.
“We have a staff of around 50 people but many security personnel remain busy with administrative and legal work including PO Staff, headquarters Staff, summoning staff, naib court, etc. We somehow manage to depute a total of 17 patrolling teams but the area is so vast that we require more strength,” an official, who did not wish to be named, said.
A senior GRP official rued the government’s indifferent attitude towards security measures. “We keep getting threats from ISI and even from rebel groups in the country including those active in Kashmir. After a recent grenade blast near the Pathankot army camp and even after the tiffin bomb incident in Amritsar, we were asked to alert our forces but no one bothered to fill the vacancies here. After people retire, the government should immediately recruit someone so that we can work with higher efficiency”, the official said.
He further added that the rules mandate the patrolling staff to work in three shifts of eight hours each, but due to the shortage in staff, senior officials have been forced to extend the shifts to up to twelve hours.
He also highlighted the problems being faced by the security personnel in managing the massive footfalls at railway platforms.
The GRP and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) on Wednesday held a meeting with the local senior section engineer (SSE) to ensure better coordination. The security forces requested the engineering staff, including the railway gangmen, to stay alert while working at the tracks.
“The meeting was aimed at ensuring better coordination between the security forces and the railway staff deputed on tracks. They can immediately alert us in case they witness any suspicious activity on the railway tracks. We need to be more careful in winters amid fog”, an official said.
