CHANDIGARH: A day after the Punjab Police busted a Khalistan linked terror network involved in carrying out a low intensity blast on the railway track near Shambhu, Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu, on Tuesday said the Railways would intensify round-the-clock patrolling along the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and begin drone surveillance.
Bittu visited the blast site along with senior officials from the Ambala Railway Division and reviewed the security situation along the EDFC.
Speaking to the media and expressing serious concern over repeated incidents targeting railway infrastructure in Punjab, he said all necessary steps were being taken to safeguard railway assets, ensure passenger and freight safety, and maintain uninterrupted economic activity.
He added that strict and immediate measures were being implemented to strengthen safety and monitoring.
“The Railways would intensify 24 hour patrolling along the EDFC and also expand surveillance coverage. Currently, there are 173 CCTV cameras installed in the Punjab region of the Ambala Division, and more cameras will be installed. Special focus will be given to secluded and vulnerable sections of the corridor, where advanced monitoring methods will be deployed, including drone surveillance. Railway personnel will also conduct regular ground patrolling to ensure the safety of the track,” he said.
He further stated that there were indications of external involvement, with hostile elements allegedly attempting to destabilise the region by targeting critical infrastructure such as railways.
Bittu said these acts were not only security threats but also direct attempts to disrupt economic activity in Punjab.
The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor connects Sahnewal with West Bengal and is a vital economic artery, with approximately 30 trains operating daily to transport industrial and agricultural goods.
Bittu commended the alertness of the loco pilot, who promptly halted the train after sensing the impact, thereby preventing a potentially larger mishap.
He said this was the second such incident within a span of three months and within a distance of approximately 35 kilometres.
The earlier incident occurred on January 23, around 800 metres from NH 44, while the latest blast site is located about 300 metres from the same highway.