Removal of 1,000 Home Guards adds to woes

The task of curbing crime and securing lives of lakhs of commuters has become more difficult for the GRP after the assisting force of around 1,000 Home Guards was revoked recently.

The task of curbing crime and securing lives of lakhs of commuters has become more difficult for the GRP after the assisting force of around 1,000 Home Guards was revoked recently.

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Top brass of the Home Guards said there was little coordination between the two agencies.

While speaking to HT, Raj Khilnani, director general, Home Guards and Civil Defence, said he was communicating with the GRP on the issues plaguing the coordination aspect. “I have written several times to the top GRP officials, but we have not received any reply. There is no coordination among the two security wings. Also, there have been issues on sharing the salary expenditure of the Home Guards.”

A GRP officer said the state government and the railways had been vested with the responsibility of sharing 50% expenditure each. He said, “While the state accepted, the railways haven’t responded. This was one of the important reasons why the Home Guards were pulled out three months ago after serving the GRP for over a year.”

Now, around 300 Home Guards are serving and coordinating with the Railway Protection Force. Khilnani said, “We have approached Force One officials and requested them for conducting a 15-day commando training for the Home Guards. They have accepted our proposal.”