Govt to enhance police presence at Mumbai rly stations

Mumbai, July 13 (UNI) The Maharashtra Government will provide 800 police personnel and 1,000 homeguards to the railway police within 48 hours, as a short-term measure to enhance security at stations in Mumbai where bomb blasts ripped through seven suburban trains on Tuesday.

Chief Secretary Dr D K Shankaran, who reviewed passenger security with officials of the Western and Central railway and State and Mumbai police, told mediapersons here today that the police would be equipped with technical gadgets like metal detectors and explosives detection equipment.

Additional dog squads would be stationed to look for suspicious persons and material.

The Railway would set up a technical committee to suggest medium and long-term measures to upgrade security arrangements at suburban and long-distance railway stations, Dr Shankaran said.

He said among the issues discussed were regulating the entry points at major railway stations and checking at access points.

''Setting up X-ray machines and close circuit televisions would take a long time. Tenders will be invited for setting up this equipment,'' he added.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) Director General P K Suri said efforts would be made for better co-ordination between the RPF and the State police-run Government Railway Police (GRP).

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