RPF to ensure passengers safety

Tiruchirapalli, Nov 16 (UNI) In the wake of increased threat to the Railways, about 1,000 personnel of Railway Protection Force(RPF) were being deployed in Southern Railways to ensure safety and security of the travelling public and railway system.

Talking to UNI here today, a senior railway official said that for the terrorists, extremists and anti-social elements, Railways had become a soft target, pointing the attack on suburban trains in Mumbai this July.

He said the security had been tightened after the Mumbai blasts.

Efforts were on to instal Closed Circuit Television(CCTV) systems in twenty-two stations. It was proposed to establish Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads(BDDS) in all the divisions, he added.

He said it was planned to procure sufficient number of Door Frame Metal Detectors(DFMDS) and Hand Held Metal Deectors(HHMDS).

At present the Southern Railways possess six Kennels with 20 sniffer dogs as part of the modernisation programme. It was proposed to increase the dogs strength to another 16 by establishing five more Kennels, ''he added.

He said luggage scanners would be installed in all the divisions for the effective screening of passenger luggages. Presently, procurement of one scanner at Chennai, was in progress, he added.

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