With railways often becoming the target of naxal and terror attacks, an integrated security plan has been drawn up through installation of hi-tech gadgets at vulnerable stations.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said in his Budget speech that railway security would be strengthened by installing close circuit TVs [Get Quote] at important stations and by using metal detectors, baggage screening system and explosive detection equipment.

"These systems will be installed at vulnerable stations through railway funds or public private partnership," he said, adding that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) would be equipped with all necessary modern equipment and adequate funds provision will be made for it.

Asserting that security of passengers was his "topmost priority", the Railway Minister said 5,700 posts of constables and 993 posts of sub-inspectors lying vacant in RPF for the last many years would be filled up through a comprehensive recruitment drive by May this year.

He said five per cent of posts in recruitment of constables and ten per cent in recruitment of sub-inspectors have been reserved for women. The government has recently created 973 additional posts, for which recruitment will be done in a time bound manner next year, he added.

Prasad said a provision of Rs 7,000 crore (Rs 70 billion) for overhauling the system has been made, besides starting a comprehensive drive to recruit security personnel.

"The security of passengers is our topmost priority. We are investing billions of rupees on railway safety, which is a reflection of our commitment towards safety of the rail network," he said.

He said Railways is taking due precaution to make adequate provision under Depreciation Reserve Fund (DRF) for timely replacement of overage assets. "In this context, I have increased the provision in DRF to Rs 5450 crore in 2007-08 and Rs 7000 crore in 2008-09," he said.

Prasad said due to sustained efforts to improve safety, number of consequential train accidents have come down to an "all-time minimum" of 195 in 2006-07 from 234 in 2005-06.

Despite increase in traffic, the consequential train accidents per million train kilometre have come down to 0.23 in 2006-07 as compared to 0.28 in 2005-06. He further said work on replacing 16,538 kms of overage track and overage signals at 2359 stations and rehabilitation of 2251 bridges utilising Special Railway Safety Fund would be completed by the end of this year.

With a view to reduce human failure and strengthen rail safety, a multi-pronged scheme has been prepared envisaging automatic safety devices like anti-collision device, acoustic bearing detectors, digital ultrasonic flaw detecting machine, ultrasonic rail testing car and track monitoring car.

The anti-collision device system would be extended to the Southern, South Central and South Western railway in the next two years. A master plan has been prepared to install acoustic bearing detectors and wheel impact load detectors at important locations for on-line monitoring of rolling stock by investing Rs 250 crore (Rs 2.5 billion) on 65 instruments, he said.

The government also proposes to install smoke and fire detection systems in all trains in a phased manner at a cost of Rs 700 crore (Rs 7 billion). While construction of 582 rail over-bridges and under-bridges is in progress on a 50:50 cost sharing basis with the state governments, it is proposed to take up another 100 new works during 2008-09.

There are 16600 manned level crossings and 18200 unmanned level crossings in Indian Railways. Of the 195 consequential train accidents in 2006-07, 72 were at unmanned level crossings. "We have decided to make our policy more generous and comprehensive to man all busy unmanned level crossings on a fast track," he added.

Railway Budget: 2008-09