Kochi: The hopes of strengthening the security in railway stations and trains running through the state received a setback with the Thiruvanthapuram division being allotted just 24 new Railway Protection Force personnel against the requirement of nearly 600 additional staff.
“A total of 17,000 candidates were recruited to the force across the country. However, the division, facing an acute shortage of RPF personnel, was ignored despite demanding urgent posting of more men. Now 24 candidates are recruited for the division to fill up the existing vacancies and no additional posting is being done. This, even as 300 personnel were posted in Chennai,” a senior RPF officer said on the condition of anonymity.
He pointed out that the Ernakulam South station itself now requires nearly 50 additional staff with the installation of scanners and the setting up of ISS security system.
“There are three scanners in the station requiring an additional nine staff (three shift). Similarly six others were required for monitoring CCTVs set up as part of the Integrated Security System. Similarly only a handful of trains could be provided with the escort facilities,” the officer said.
