Concerned over increasing incidents of looting and harassment of passengers in trains passing through areas affected by militancy and naxal violence, the railways has mooted the creation of a special security force to deal with the safety and security of travellers.
"We have mooted an idea for a centrally-administered security force involving Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police to provide security and safety in Railways. We are seeking advice from the Ministries of Law and Home about its feasibility," Railway Board chairman J P Batra said.
In an interview to PTI, he said the need for such a force had been felt for long but 'we have now started considering it. It will take a long time as it involves the states'.
The exact shape and structure of the force will be decided after the idea gets materialised, he said.
Batra was responding to a query whether the railways was considering such a force beacuse of the increasing threat to
its operation in the wake of militancy and naxalism engulfing parts of the country and trains being a prime target.
He said the railways was studying safety and security provided by its US counterpart, which like India has a federal system of governance and involves states in providing safety and security to national organisations like Railways.
"There is a private security arrangement in the US railways, which has been given full power to deal with safety and security. We are studying how their federal structure is working in dealing with railway safety and security," said Batra, who recently attended a Stragic Management Workshop on security in the US.
However, he said that in terms of law and order, the US faces no militancy like India.
Batra said a high level team of Indian Railways, headed by the Northern Railway chief security officer will visit the
US to study in detail the security and safety being provided to trains.
Batra said the ministry was studying the feasibility of the deployment of the force as it involved railway safety in states and union territories.
"We are studying the legal aspects of the proposal. We are seeking advice from the Home and Law Ministries whether
such a force is feasible or not," Batra said.
Referring to militancy and naxalism, he said trains as such has neven been their basic target, but 'it gets affected severely when there are social disturbences'.
Batra said the railways has been in regular touch with state governments to tackle any eventuality.
"I have met chief secretaries of most of the states and they have provided additional forces wherever railway construction works are going on," he said.
Batra said he has asked for a comprehensive review of RPF and if needed, more personnel from the force can be
deployed in trains.
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