Mahakumbh security boost: Sniffer dogs, expanded CCTV coverage at railway stations

The North Central Railway will deploy 22 sniffer dogs along with their handlers, with a maximum of seven dogs stationed at Prayagraj Junction.

To ensure the safety of passengers at railway stations during the Mahakumbh-2025, the railway is taking concrete steps. One such initiative involves deploying sniffer dogs and their handlers at Prayagraj Junction and other railway stations. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is currently training 22 sniffer dogs to be on alert at these stations, where they will track explosives or any suspicious objects.

For representation only (File)

It is noteworthy that during the Kumbh in 2019, sniffer dogs were only active at Prayagraj Junction. However, for the upcoming Mahakumbh, which is expected to attract crores of pilgrims arriving by train, security measures are being enhanced not just at Prayagraj Junction but also at other regional railway stations. The North Central Railway will deploy 22 sniffer dogs along with their handlers, with a maximum of seven dogs stationed at Prayagraj Junction. The remaining dogs will be deployed at Naini, Chheoki, Prayag, and Subedarganj railway stations. Additionally, a sniffer dog and its handler will be present at the Mirzapur, Fatehpur, and Manikpur railway stations.

The RPF is providing the necessary training to the sniffer dogs at the training centre, after which they will be put into service. Besides the sniffer dogs, Bomb Disposal Squads will also be stationed at the railway stations to identify and diffuse any explosives that may be found. Moreover, the number of CCTV cameras at the railway stations will be increased during the Mahakumbh, with monitoring conducted by the Government Railway Police (GRP). Currently, 151 CCTV cameras are installed at Prayagraj Junction, which will be increased to 298 during the Mahakumbh.