Guwahati, Jul 30 : The NF railway has fortified 16 engines with bullet-proof glass and other such material to resume passenger trains in the NC Hills section from Lumding to Badarpur from July 31 while additional security personnel have been deployed for ensuring security to Railway staff on the stations and along the tracks.
It may be mentioned that train services in the Hills section was suspended following a series of attacks by the Black Widow group militants and though goods trains resumed earlier, passenger train services are yet to resume. However, railway sources said today that at the initial stage of resumption of passenger train services, only three trains would run in a day. The stations in the Hills section, which were closed following deterioration of the law-and-order situation, are being reopened in a phased manner.Sources revealed that the engines to be used in the Hill section have been fortified with bullet-proof glass and other bullet proofing materials to ensure safety of drivers as train running in the section was suspended after the death of a train driver in one of the attacks launched by the militants. Bullet-proof engines are already in use in the goods trains in that section. At present, the Railways are running 10 goods trains, including a security special train, in the section every day. However, night running of trains in the section still remains suspended in the area and even when passenger train services are resumed in the section it is unlikely that trains would run at night anytime soon.
Meanwhile, official sources said that all possible security arrangements have been made in the area to ensure safety of the trains and the Railway personnel. All the goods trains running in the area are accompanied by armed security personnel to thwart any possible attack by the militants.
Sources pointed out that the Railway employees were demanding adequate security arrangements in the stations to ensure their safety and keeping that in mind, five companies of RPSF personnel have been deployed in the area to be posted as static guards in 15 vulnerable stations. Sources said that security personnel including Government railway police men have been deployed in the other vulnerable stations. 25 sections of security personnel have been deployed to accompany the gang men deployed by the Railways for track patrolling, while, the telecom and signal staff are also being accompanied by armed security personnel. The Superintendent of Police of North Cachar Hills has been entrusted with the responsibility of deployment of forces available at his disposal according to requirement to ensure safety of the trains and railway personnel, sources added.
It may be mentioned that train services in the Hills section was suspended following a series of attacks by the Black Widow group militants and though goods trains resumed earlier, passenger train services are yet to resume. However, railway sources said today that at the initial stage of resumption of passenger train services, only three trains would run in a day. The stations in the Hills section, which were closed following deterioration of the law-and-order situation, are being reopened in a phased manner.Sources revealed that the engines to be used in the Hill section have been fortified with bullet-proof glass and other bullet proofing materials to ensure safety of drivers as train running in the section was suspended after the death of a train driver in one of the attacks launched by the militants. Bullet-proof engines are already in use in the goods trains in that section. At present, the Railways are running 10 goods trains, including a security special train, in the section every day. However, night running of trains in the section still remains suspended in the area and even when passenger train services are resumed in the section it is unlikely that trains would run at night anytime soon.
Meanwhile, official sources said that all possible security arrangements have been made in the area to ensure safety of the trains and the Railway personnel. All the goods trains running in the area are accompanied by armed security personnel to thwart any possible attack by the militants.
Sources pointed out that the Railway employees were demanding adequate security arrangements in the stations to ensure their safety and keeping that in mind, five companies of RPSF personnel have been deployed in the area to be posted as static guards in 15 vulnerable stations. Sources said that security personnel including Government railway police men have been deployed in the other vulnerable stations. 25 sections of security personnel have been deployed to accompany the gang men deployed by the Railways for track patrolling, while, the telecom and signal staff are also being accompanied by armed security personnel. The Superintendent of Police of North Cachar Hills has been entrusted with the responsibility of deployment of forces available at his disposal according to requirement to ensure safety of the trains and railway personnel, sources added.
