Ludhiana: Staff crunch cripples GRP as train traffic soars five fold

The shortage is particularly felt at the alternative station in Dhandari Kalan, developed to handle the rising passenger load. While this post requires approximately 12 personnel to operate effectively, it currently has only six

The Government Railway Police (GRP) in Ludhiana is grappling with a severe personnel shortage, struggling to manage safety and security despite a massive increase in train traffic and passenger volume over the last three decades.

With Ludhiana railway station now recording an average daily footfall of around 50,000, the operational pressure is huge. (HT File Photo)

GRP officials reveal a critical mismatch: the number of trains operating from the station has swollen to over 100 daily—a fivefold increase from the 20-25 trains three decades ago—and the average number of bogies per train has also doubled to 16-20. However, the police station’s sanctioned staff strength remains the same as it was in the 1990s.

Rising footfall amid poor infra

With the station now recording an average daily footfall of around 50,000 passengers, the operational pressure is immense. The official structure of the GRP station includes two police posts in Jagraon and Phillaur and four assault posts in Dhandari Kalan, Goraya, Sahnewal, and Ahmedgarh.

The shortage is particularly felt at the alternative station in Dhandari Kalan, developed to handle the rising passenger load. While this post requires approximately 12 personnel to operate effectively, it currently has only six personnel.

The staffing crisis coincides with a sharp rise in cases of drug smuggling, as Ludhiana Junction serves as a major entry point for contraband substances into the state. Data for the first half of this year (January to June end) shows a concerning spike in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases.

While the last six months of 2024 saw only four cases registered under the NDPS Act, the first six months of 2025 have already recorded 15 FIRs. Recovery of opium rose drastically from 2 kg in the latter half of 2024 to 25.2 kg in the first half of 2025. Similarly, banned tablets and capsules saw an alarming increase in recovery, jumping from 540 to 9,380. The seizure of ganja also rose slightly, from 12 kg to 13.5 kg, and 23.5 kg of poppy was also recovered in 2025.

A senior GRP official, speaking anonymously, stated that the continuous cycle of retirements coupled with slow recruitment is intensifying the shortage. The station currently has only four Investigating Officers (two Sub-Inspectors and two Assistant Sub-Inspectors) to handle the approximately 380 FIRs registered so far this year, often leaving junior officers to manage complex cases.

The official estimated an immediate need for at least 15 more personnel to meet current work requirements. In Charge GRP Ludhiana, Inspector Palwinder Singh, confirmed the situation, saying, “We work with the resources we have and regularly catch big tranches of drugs during our patrols. But we have written to our superiors to send more personnel here.”