PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Oct 15: In view of the five-state bandh called by Naxal outfits, the Chakradharpur Railway Division of South Eastern Railway has been placed on high alert, with multi-layered security arrangements to safeguard passengers, railway assets, and vital installations.
The bandh, reportedly called to protest against intensified anti-Naxal operations, spans across Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, and West Bengal, prompting precautionary measures across several railway zones.
Authorities have stepped up surveillance across key and vulnerable stations, including Tatanagar, Chakradharpur, Goelkera, Sonua, Manoharpur, Jhinkpani, and Rourkela, all of which fall within or near Maoist-affected belts.
Intensive patrolling and round-the-clock monitoring have been initiated along sensitive rail sections notorious for Naxal sabotage attempts in the past.
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Teams from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and local district police have been deployed in tandem.
Foot patrolling, track inspection, and night vigilance have been enhanced, while bomb detection squads and sniffer dogs are scanning station premises, yards, and goods sidings.
Railway sources confirmed that movement of passenger and freight trains through Goelkera–Manoharpur and Sonua–Chakradharpur sections is being closely supervised from the divisional control room.
Trains passing through vulnerable stretches are operating under speed restrictions, especially during night hours.
A senior Chakradharpur Division official said, “We are in constant touch with local police and paramilitary units. All possible precautionary measures are being taken to ensure uninterrupted train operations and safety of passengers.”
Meanwhile, district police and CRPF personnel have intensified combing operations in forested zones adjoining the railway tracks to pre-empt any subversive activity.
Railway staff and patrolmen have been instructed to report any unusual movement or abandoned objects immediately.
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Though no untoward incident has been reported so far, officials said the heightened alert will continue until the bandh period concludes and security agencies review the situation.
With the region’s history of Naxal threats to railway infrastructure, the co-ordinated security drive aims to ensure that passenger safety and train operations remain unaffected despite the bandh call.
