HIGH LEVEL CO-ORDINATION MEETING

          
A High Level Co-ordination Meeting was held today (30.4.2010) at Southern
Railway Headquarters. Senior Police Officers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Kerala and Puducherry, Senior Police Officers and RPF Officers of Southern
Railway, South Western Railway, South Central Railway and ICF participated.

          
Shri Deepak Krishan, General Manager/Southern Railway presided over the
meeting.  Shri K.K. Srivastava, Addl. General
Manager/Southern Railway addressed the meeting. Shri G.M.P. Reddy, I.P.S., Chief
Security Commissioner/ Southern Railway organized the meeting and initiated the
discussions.  Shri G. Gunaseelan, I.P.S., IG/Railways/Tamil
Nadu, Shri Padma Kumar, I.P.S., IG/Railways/Kerala,   Shri
Mohan, IG & Chief Security Commissioner, South Central Railway, Shri S.C. Sinha,
Chief Security Commissioner, South Western Railway, Shri Sampath Kumar, I.P.S.,
Superintendent, Railway Police/Chennai, Shri A.S. Khan, I.P.S., Superintendent,
Railway Police/Vijayawada, officers from Railway Police and Principal Heads of
Department of Southern Railway attended the meeting.

          
During the meeting, several important areas concerning the security of
passengers and the railway system were reviewed. In view of the ensuing summer
season, it was decided to launch special drive against anti-social activities in
trains and railway premises.  The need for constant exchange
of crime intelligence between the Govt. Railway Police (GRP), local Police and
RPF for effective preventive action against terrorist attacks on passengers and
extremist activities were emphasized. It was decided to nominate a nodal officer
to collect and convey information of railway crimes.  The
aspect regarding physical security and access control at important stations was
also discussed in the meeting.

          
Another important area covered was about increasing police presence in
running trains in the form of train escort teams to prevent theft of passenger
belongings and snatching cases.  Effective preventive
measures to control drugging offences were also chalked out. 
To prevent accidents at unmanned level crossings, concerted action to be taken
on the part of the Railways, RPF, GRP and local police was discussed in detail
and it was decided to conduct awareness campaigns and ambush checks at these
spots.  It was also decided to provide adequate security to
Railway construction projects wherever required.

          
The participants were briefed about the Integrated Security System being
implemented over the following stations of Southern Railway at a cost of Rs.40
crores approximately. The stations include Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore,
Chennai Beach, Tambaram, Mambalam, Basin Bridge, Tiruvallur, Tiruchchirappalli,
Madurai, Coimbatore, Calicut, Mangalore, Ernakulam Jn. and Trivandrum.
                                                  

           The system mainly comprises surveillance through CCTV, access control,
personnel & baggage screening system and Explosive detection & disposal system.

        
It was also decided that such co-ordination meetings should be held
periodically at different levels to ensure proper co-ordination among the
different Security Agencies and the Railways for providing better security to
the passengers as well as the railway system.

( V.J. ACCAMMA )
Chief Public Relations Officer

SOURCE : SOUTHERN RAILWAY PRESS RELEASE