Committee fails to prepare report to secure rail tracks

KOLKATA - A committee formed to prepare an action plan to secure the railway tracks passing through Maoist-hit areas of West Bengal is likely to miss the deadline of submitting its report, a senior officer said Wednesday.

If the committee delays submitting its report, the cancellation of passenger trains during night on this route will continue. Train services during the night had been suspended since the May 28 Gyaneshwari Express tragedy in which 148 people were killed, a senior officer of South Eastern Railway said.

“It was decided that on the basis of the action plan prepared by the committee, the state government would seek more central forces for securing the 150 km route, which is vulnerable to Maoist attacks,” said A.K. Singh, chief security commissioner of South Eastern Railway (SER).

The committee, which was supposed to submit its report by June 25, has not met even once since its inception. Officials at the Writers’ Buildings said as no meeting could be held till date, it is tough for the committee to submit its recommendations on time.

The committee led by Additional Director General (Railway) Dilip Mitra comprises security commissioners of two zonal railways, the divisional railway manager of Kharagpur and inspector general (western zone).

Mitra said: “We would arrange the first meeting of the committee June 29.”

“Since the formation of the committee could not be completed on time, it was not possible to submit the report within the scheduled timeframe,” said Mitra.

He also informed that the process of setting up the committee was completed June 22.

“The committee would, however, submit another report within one month recommending steps to strengthen security arrangements for railway tracks passing through all Maoist dominated areas in the state,” said a member of the committee.