185 railway stations identified as vulnerable

New Delhi, Apr 26 (UNI) A total of 185 railway stations, including 17 metro stations, in the country have been identified as vulnerable, where security system is proposed to be upgraded, the government said today.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Railways R Velu said some of the stations, including Delhi Main, New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin, are highly sensitive and vulnerable from security point of view.

Listing out measures to strengthen security system at all the important railway stations, Mr Velu said modern security gadgets, CCTVs and cameras, Deep Search Metal Detectors and scaneers were being installed.

Sniffer dogs are being deployed for checking of coaches, parcels, baggage, station area and searching of explosives.

Also, announcements over Public Address System as well as by mega phones by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) are being done round the clock to alert the public in coaches.

Mr Velu said greater use would be made of hand-held metal detectors and door-frame metal detectors to conduct anti-sabotage checks in trains and at stations.

While access control has been introduced in coordination with the Government Railway Police (GRP), communication system of the RPF is being improved by providing mobile phones, walkie-talkies and Very High Frequency (VHF) sets.

There is also a plan to provide bullet-proof jackets and helmets to the RPF personnel.

The minister said a sum of Rs. 121.63 crore had been allocated for sanctioned proposals during the financial year 2007-08.

UNI