Security forces on toes to ensure railway link to Kashmir Valley

Amid threats from militants to disrupt the laying of the first rail tracks in Jammu and Kashmir, an almost 2,000-strong security force is keeping a round-the-clock vigil on work for the 292-km Udhampur- Srinagar-Baramulla railway project.

The Rs 11,000-crore project aims to provide an all-weather rail link to areas in the state that are snow-bound for most of the year.

"There are about 1,700 CRPF personnel and 150 RPSF (Railway Protection Special Force) men deployed along the sites of the project," B P Khare, chief administrator officer for the project, told PTI.

CISF Director General S I S Ahmed said guarding the project is challenging because of the involvement of thousands of workers and engineers and the high expectations attached to it.

"There were attacks on us in the past and recently a CRPF vehicle was blown apart at Punjgam and we lost two jawans. Nevertheless, these incidents are minor setbacks and they have not deterred us. We are fully committed to the job," he said.

Asked about the possibility of increasing forces at the sites, Ahmed said the situation was constantly being reviewed and security personnel would be deployed according to needs.

"However, providing security is a joint effort involving state police, intelligence agencies and paramilitary forces. I have visited the sites and plan to go again shortly to take stock of the situation,"

While the RPSF guards structures, DMU sheds, station buildings, staff quarters, offices and coaches, the CRPF provides proximate security for the entire project.

Since work is on in full swing in Srinagar, Kakapur, Gulazarpura, Banihal, Sangaldan, Surukot and Reasi, the CRPF is deployed in full strength at these places. "Many times our engineers have been targeted. Two years ago, a railway engineer was kidnapped and killed. The recent call for non-Kashmiri workers to leave the Valley also slowed the pace of work.

Besides work sites and offices, the residences of our staff are guarded round the clock," said Khare.

The project is being jointly implemented by Northern Railway, Indian Railway Construction Company (IRCON) and Konkan Railway.

The work involves building 165 major bridges and 650 minor bridges. The rail link also passes through many long and short tunnels covering 120.44 km.

RPF chief M K Sinha said, "Though we are guarding railway properties across the country, our forces have gone to the Kashmir Valley for the first time. It is a challenging assignment for us and we are working in close coordination with other security agencies. Besides the new coaches which arrived recently, we have to ensure that upcoming stations are protected."

Anurag Mishra, Managing Director of Konkan Railway, which is involved in constructing 92 km of tracks from Katra to Laoli, said all possible precautions had been taken in view of the risks involved.

"An escort service for our staff, round the clock guard at the work site and the staff colony and other necessary steps are being taken to protect staff and railway properties," he said.

The staff mostly stay in Reasi, Batote and Sangaldan.

"This is our most prestigious and ambitious project. We have to construct 225 km of approach road before laying the 90-km line," Mishra said.

He said authorities have evolved a strategy to ward off unwanted elements by "involving locals in maximum numbers" in the project.

"We have employed about 144 engineers from the locality to get the local populace involved in the project. It has worked wonders and we are getting full cooperation from them barring a few minor incidents," he said.

The approach roads will boost the area's economy as they would facilitate the movement of transport.