Canine unit oversees 500 trains and 232 railway stations that see a daily footfall of up to 15 lakh
Over 500 trains, up to 15 lakh daily footfall, and as many as 232 railway stations — the entire Delhi Division of the Northern Railways depends on only seven dogs, belonging to the Railway Protection Force (RPF), for its safety and security. Senior RPF officers admit that it is not possible to secure the entire division with just seven canines, and that these sniffers monitor only a handful of trains.
In addition, the RPF does not even have a bomb squad of its own and is dependent entirely on these seven dogs to sniff out suspicious or unattended baggage. On Tuesday, of these 7, two were deployed with the Delhi Police for Independence Day preparations, leaving only five to tackle the division.
According to senior officers, of all the trains that enter the Delhi Division, only Shatabdi and Rajdhani Express trains, apart from a handful of other non-VIP trains, are sanitised using these dogs. They said the canines have been especially trained to sniff out prohibited items but they can work for only two hours at a stretch.
"After two hours at work, these dogs need rest. With just seven dogs, it is not possible for us to cover all the trains. Also, these dogs are supposed to respond to all kinds of emergencies in the entire Delhi Division. For other trains, we deploy staffers for patrolling and crime prevention," a senior RPF officer said.
Another challenge that the RPF is currently facing is the drastic staff crunch. "Most of these canines are middle-aged Labradors, aged 3-7 years. If we get proper infrastructure or required equipment, it will help us step up our efficiency. Railway is a vulnerable target. It is not an enclosed space like an airport. We need to stay vigilant and keep a sharp eye on a large number of people and area. With such a limited strength, safety is being compromised. The administration must look into stepping up the force's infrastructure," he said.
CANINE CONTRIBUTION
- On Tuesday, of the seven dogs, two were deployed with the Delhi Police for I-Day preparations, leaving only five to tackle the division.
- The canines have been specially trained to sniff out prohibited items, but they can work only for two hours at a stretch.
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