From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Security of all major railway stations including Guwahati have been beefed up considerably by Northeast Frontier Railway (N.F.) Railway in view of the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations.
Co-ordination meeting with Government Railway Police (GRP), local police, and intelligence agencies, Railway/Civil Administration have been held with the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP), Assam at Zonal and Divisional level.
Instructions have already been issued to remain alert. All major stations are being guarded by respective state police personnel and other security agencies.
Guwahati is the biggest railway station of the North East with a footfall of 40,000 every day and more than 30 pairs of trains pass through this station daily. So, security of this station is of paramount importance.
A quick reaction team comprising fully armed Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) jawans along with Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel under one officer has been on shift duty at the station. About 30 GRP personnel are also helping in maintaining security of the station in each shift.
In order to improve the overall security, some measures have been taken like: track patrolling in vulnerable stretches/sections by motor trolleys or on foot by GRP/RPF and railway staff. Random frisking of passengers and luggage with the help of hand metal detectors, baggage scan is being carried out.
Anti-sabotage checking with the help of sniffer dogs at stations, trains, platforms etc., is being undertaken. Security of railway stations, especially entry and exit area are being monitored to control the access.
Round-the-clock monitoring by CCTV of all vulnerable areas is also being done. Important mail/express and passenger trains are being escorted by RPF/RPSF or GRP on random basis. Senior officers are conducting night checking at stations, yard to supervise alertness and other precautionary measures.
In addition to the above, instructions have been issued to concerned departments to frequently check the dustbins, cloak rooms, parcels, parking area etc. Interactive sessions with the coolies, vendors, taxi/auto rickshaw drivers have been organised to brief them to keep watch over suspicious persons and article.
Frequent announcements through public announcement systems are also being made to create security alertness among the passengers.