THIRUVANATHAPURAM: In a bid to beef up security at the Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, Southern Railway has installed an all-new X-ray Baggage Scanner at the main entrance of the station. Hereafter, the bags of passengers will be put under the scanner to detect any presence of explosives, metals and illegal drugs.
‘‘The scanner is installed as part of the upgradation of the security system at the railway station by the implementation of Integrated Security Systems,’’ said K J Joy, Divisional Security Commissioner, Thiruvananthapuram.
‘’Railway has become a soft target for terrorists and extremists. There were several sabotage attempts in the country, including the recent damage caused to the brake pipes of a passenger train in the State. The security at railway stations is being enhanced in the wake of such threats,’’ Joy said.
It is for the first time that such a system is being installed in the State. A scanner each would be installed at the railway stations at Ernakulam and Kozhikode also. The RPF would have the charge of the x-ray baggage scanner at the Central station. The constables attached to the RPF would be given training in operating the scanner.
Recently, a bomb detection and disposal squad also had started functioning at Thiruvananthapuram Central under the RPF. The other security measures employed at the station include surveillance cameras, door frame metal detector and dog squad. Steps have also been taken to add more closed-circuit television cameras to the network of surveillance cameras in the station soon. The control room at the office of the Railway Police would also be upgraded for the purpose, said Joy.
Though the move to install the scanner is appreciable, the question remains on the efficiency of the equipment in checking the bags of all the passengers who pass through the station.
‘’To check the baggage of all passengers who access the station with a single equipment is impossible,’’ said a Railway Police constable.
Unlike the airports, where it is mandatory for the passengers to report at least four hours before the flight time, the railway passengers usually arrive at the stations on time. So, checking all bags individually, which is a time-consuming process, would create chaos among the passengers.
There are at least four entrances to the railway station other the main entrance. So, the authorities should consider beefing up the security at those entrances also, said the constable on condition of anonymity.
Divisional Railway Manager Rajiv Dutt Sharma is expected to commission the X-Ray Baggage Scanner at the Central station by next week.
rejith@expressbuzz.com