COIMBATORE: People jumping the queue at the platform ticket counter is usual at the Coimbatore Junction railway station, especially on Sundays. Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff stationed elsewhere are alerted to regulate the crowd. The number of RPF staff at Coimbatore has not kept pace with the increase in work, said an RPF source.
“We have to monitor two scanners, CCTV room, platforms and other important points. We also accompany the staff carrying the cash box from the ticket counter. As we do not enough people, it is difficult to perform all duties. However, we somehow manage and have never failed in our duty of ensuring security at the station,” the source said.
Pointing out the wide gap in their duties and staff strength, another RPF source told Express, “The sanctioned strength is 50 for this station. Earlier, we were only in charge of Railway property safety. Now we have to look after the security of passengers as well as their luggage.”
RPF personnel also monitor the integrated security system at the station, which was installed about seven years ago. “We have to continuously monitor the CCTV arrangements and luggage scanners. But the staff strength has not been increased. We have submitted a report to the Divisional Security Commissioner explaining the need to increase the staff strength here to 100, as in Chennai,” the source added.
The Coimbatore Junction station has seven platforms, including Platform 1A. But only two or three staff can be posted on the platforms, in view of staff shortage.
Now, 17,000 constables have been recruited to the RPF and are being trained; 700 of them are for Southern Railway and a few are expected to be posted in Coimbatore by the end of July.
However, Salem Divisional Security Commissioner I Jones denied that the RPF in Coimbatroe was short of staff. “The number of personnel is based on the station's area. More staff are not necessary as the available strength is enough to ensure the station's safety. However, we will be posting new recruits from those who complete training this year,” he told Express.
The number of RPF staff in Coimbatore will be increase by 10 percent in July or August, said K Ravi, Office Superintendent at the Divisional Security Office.