E-Paper
Audit flags security lapses at Pune railway station
The report of this security audit will be given by the intelligence bureau officials to the Pune railway administration
Several security lapses, including potential risks and mismanagement were noticed at the Pune railway station in an audit carried out by the central government’s intelligence bureau department and Government Railway Police (GRP).
The safety audit was carried out by the officials on January 18.
“Officials of intelligence bureau visited the Pune railway station and inspected the safety and security arrangements done on the premises and they noticed several loopholes,” said Rajendra Gaikwad, GRP senior police inspector, in charge of the Pune railway station.
“Officials noticed several illegal entry and exit points from where unwanted public entered the premises. Especially at the platform No. 6, several such unauthorised entry points were found,” said Gaikwad. Then there is no proper checking done of each and every passenger coming to the railway station from the entry gates which is a necessity, he said.
“They also noticed that there are fewer CCTV cameras to cover the entire railway station premises and there is an urgent need to increase the number and replace it with good quality CCTVs. The current cameras are of very low quality and when we do surveillance of these cameras to investigate cases, the picture quality of these cameras is poor,” he added.
“Also, various contractual staff which is working at the parcel office, vendors and other stalls in the station premises should get police verification done regularly and have be given proper ID cards,” said Gaikwad.
The report of this security audit will be given by the intelligence bureau officials to the Pune railway administration to take necessary action.
Pune railway station is a busy junction from where train operations go on across the country. Daily around 250 train operations are currently going on with over two lakh passenger footfall. While from last few months, even the newly started Pune Metro station is connected to the railway station, so the number of passengers has gone up.
Vinay Jadhav, a regular passenger, said, “I travel daily from Pune railway station by local train to Talegaon, and many times beggars and other suspicious people are seen roaming in the station premises during the night time.”
“It is not at all safe for women passengers on platform No. 6 side to travel and there is a need to enhance the security arrangements at the station,” he said.
Pune railway division spokesperson Rampal Barpagga, said, he did not have the necessary information from the concerned department about the audit.
