Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 14: As the Banihal-Qazigund railway section having 11.21 kilometer long tunnel is all set to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the project executing agency has geared up the work on creation of permanent security related infrastructure for the General Railway Police and Railway Protection Force, which would be in place within next two months. In the meantime, both these agencies responsible for the protection of railways property and passengers would be deployed in the accommodation presently being used by the engineers and workforce.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the authorities of General Railway Police and Railway Protection Force have been conveyed by the M/s IRCON International Ltd that permanent security related infrastructure, which includes police stations, police posts, guard posts, duty huts, watch towers and barracks at all the locations identified by these agencies would be in place within next two months.
“The delay in making available permanent infrastructure doesn’t mean that there will be no security apparatus on this section particularly for the 11.21 kilometer long Pir Panjal tunnel, which is the longest transportation tunnel in India and third longest in Asia, as the infrastructure presently being utilized by the engineers and other staff of the agencies involved in the construction of the project would be handed over to the GRP and RPF”, sources informed.
It is pertinent to mention here that Railways and State have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) whereby 50% expenditure on account of deployment of security personnel is being shared by the Railways Ministry and remaining 50% by the Police Headquarters.
According to the sources, GRP has projected the demand for construction of Police Station, barracks and other paraphernalia at Banihal Railway Station and one Police Post along with barracks each at North and South Portal of the main tunnel and portals of the access tunnel. Moreover, the GRP has also proposed Police Post at Hillar halt station near Qazigund Railway Station. It has also indicated to establish one small post inside the tunnel.
Though the GRP is going to deploy around 100 personnel within next few days by making some internal arrangements yet it has written to the Police Headquarters and Home Department seeking additional manpower especially for enhanced security on both the portals of the main tunnel as well as access tunnel besides electronic gadgets like X-ray scanners etc, sources said. Besides GRP, sufficient number of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel are also being deployed at both the portals of the main tunnel.
Keeping in view the MoU, the Home Department will shortly take up requirement projected by the GRP before the Railways for sanctioning and release of 50% funding. “The issue is also going to be discussed with the senior officers of the Railways visiting tomorrow”, sources informed.
Meanwhile, the rush in the trains already chugging on Qazigund-Srinagar-Baramulla will increase considerably with the opening of the Banihal section as people of Ramban district would prefer the train service for the journey from the district to different parts of Kashmir valley for being safe, cheap and comfortable mode of transportation.
Moreover, railway route would be top choice for the people as with the opening of this section the distance between Banihal and Qazigund would get reduced from 35 kilometers to 17 kilometers only.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel