With railways have increasingly been Maoists’ soft target for attacks, deployment of Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Odisha for track patrolling, collection of intelligence and safeguarding railway properties has been advised by senior police personnel engaged in counter insurgency activities.
As it has recruited tribal youths as SPOs to help police in Maoist-hit districts in handling anti-Maoist activities, the State Government can recruit such personnel for deployment on tracks. The West Bengal Government has done so, viewed top cops.
As the Railway Protection Force (RPF) is not adequately equipped to face Maoist menace, engagement of SPOs would go a long way in helping the Indian Railways, they viewed.
Though both the RPF and the Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel are deployed for protecting railway properties and and passengers, there is hardly any coordination between the forces, according to them.
A joint action plan by the State Government and the Railways need to be worked out as there is necessity for relocation of RPF and GRP personnel in Maoist-hit zones.
Although the approximate strength of the RPF personnel in each Railway Zone is now about 2,000, no efforts have been made for enhancing the GRP strength. The present sanctioned strength of the GRP in Odisha is 955 and they cover 1,700 km railway lines while 250 trains are plying every day.
Under the backdrop of increasing attacks on trains and railway properties, many State Governments have advised the Ministry of Railways augment GRP strengths in States on the basis of 50:50 cost sharing between them.
Interestingly new, rail lines like Sambalpur-Angul, lanjigarh-Bhawanipatna, Jakhapura-Jurudi and Singapur Road-Koraput have not been handed over to the GRP.
In addition to this, plying of goods trains have increased noticeably due to growth of industrialisation and mining activities in the State for which extra security personnel are needed.
The Union Government is required to strengthen both RPF and GRP manpower in the State, said a senior police officer.