Railway stations could be easy targets

Railway stations could be easy targets
By: Madhusudan Maney and Vinod Kumar T
Date: 2009-01-05

Bangalore:

On Guard: RPF personnel seem to be doing their duty from the bunk at the entrance of city railway station
MiD Day continues its series of random checks on the level of security at public places. Madhusudan Maney and lensman Vinod Kumar T visited City Railway Station and Cantonment, and found that the security arrangements there were rather appalling

This reporter entered the Bangalore City Railway station and Cantonment Railway Station, with knives, wires and a dummy revolver in the bag. While passing through the security check no one stopped to check the baggage nor was there an alarm while passing through the metal detector gate.

There are CCTVs in various places in the stations, but are they monitored?

Cantonment Railway Station

At the Cantonment Railway Station, it is easier to enter the station with weapons and explosives, as there are no metal detector gates at either the front or back entrances. There is a constable at the entrance with a metal detector device in his hand, but he hardly uses it.

I walked in and out of the station for more than five times with knives, wires and a dummy revolver in my bag, but no one checked even once. Compared to the City railway station, the security arrangements at the Cantonment station is very poor.

Although there are more state police personnel, you can hardly see the RPF personnel here. Even the state police officials are busy chatting amongst themselves than keeping a vigil on the station.

One can enter the station from the Fraser Town and Bangalore Palace end by walking on the track. No one tries to stop or question such people.

"Compared to the past, which is before 26/11, I feel the security has been increased. Earlier there were no security checks but now every passenger has to enter the platform through the metal detector. This should continue to avoid damages. But what I have seen is there will be tight security only when there are threats or blasts, again after a few days the security becomes weak."
Dharmendar Sharma, who is a frequent traveller by train

"The security personnel at the railway stations should be more alert and they should be able to handle any situation. What I saw was the security personnel ask the passengers to pass through the metal detector, but none of the baggage was checked. At least there should be random checking of baggage. I feel more RPF personnel should be deployed at the station to protect people"
Srinivas, another passenger

City Railway Station

We found around seven to eight places from where one can enter the railway station without being checked.

There is no security check for the vehicles entering the railway station. Any one can enter the station with explosives loaded in a vehicle. But there are two bunkers with armed personnel in front of the Railway Station.

There's no security check at the railway station's lobby. The security check is done only while entering the platform. People in hundreds wait at the lobby and one grenade on each side is more than enough to kill hundreds.

One can also see people jumping the walls and fences to enter the platform and no one to question them.

Various entries to the platform include:

>>Railway quarters end a little ahead of Platform No 8, where there are no security personnel.
>>Parcel office road one can enter through a gate or by jumping the wall
>>Divisional office just walk down straight to the Union office, jump a small compound wall and enter the platform.
>>The parcel office end of Platform No 1 walk down the track and enter the station.
>>The Superintendent-of-Police-office end one can jump the wall and enter the station.
>>The back gate of the railway station one can enter by crossing a small fence.

There are very few Railway Protection Force personnel deputed at the railway station.