The Hindu Business Line : Terror on trains

With the first ever serial blasts on trains in March 14, 2004 targeting four of Madrid’s commuter trains, killing 191 and injuring over 1,800, the terrorists had discovered the newsworthiness and the ease with which mass rail transport systems could be attacked. The very next year, on July 7, 2005, the three explosions that ripped through the London Tube, and one on a bus, killed 52 and injured over 700 . This was perhaps the largest and deadliest terrorist attack on London’s transit system in its history. With over 5 million passengers crowding the 4,000 suburban trains of the Western and Central Railway on their daily commute to and from the Mahanagar, this rail network would undoubtedly have been a prized target for terrorists. It soon happened, on July 11, 2006, when Mumbai was added to the list of such rail systems, with the first ever serial blasts. Seven bombs exploded within just 11 minutes, all over the Western Railway’s network, at Matunga Road, Mahim, Bandra, Khar, Jogeshwari, Bhayandar and Borivili. They claimed 209 lives, while over 700 were injured, as a result of RDX packed in pressure-cooker bombs.

Stations are soft targets

These strikes, executed after considerable planning and preparation, were intended to inflict the maximum possible casualties, and exposed the soft underbelly of a large city — the commuter systems where people are constantly on the move.

While the Metros the world over, including DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) have very strict entry rules, which could go a long way in preventing such terrorist strikes, highly motivated and committed fidayeen can always find a way to beat the system.

Unfortunately, all major railway termini in India — Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad — with hardly any well-manned and carefully monitored check-points, are all sitting ducks. And with 14 million passengers boarding over 7,000 trains daily, a terrorist group can strike anywhere, anytime, at will.

The two main agencies responsible for security on railway premises and trains, the GRP (Government Railway Police) and the RPF (Railway Protection Force), are often at loggerheads over their jurisdictions, responsibilities, etc., and hardly exchange any information vital to passenger security between them.

Restricting entry

Railway staff are often blissfully ignorant of the mechanics of security and surveillance and are totally focussed on keeping trains moving. Added to this are the highly porous station premises, leaving the poor passenger very much on his own, placing his faith on the almighty to reach him to his destination in one piece!

Of course, there may be the wonderful exception, such as Zende, the alert announcer at the CST on the fateful night of November 26, whose timely warnings perhaps saved hundreds of commuters’ lives! Perhaps, a beginning could be made, however small, towards achieving higher rail security, could be in the form of restricting entry to the station premises and platforms to only ticketed passengers. However, reporting suspicious packages left behind on board the trains or on platforms will still need the help and co-operation of alert passengers. When, where and how the next terrorist strike will be is still in the realm of the unknown. Eternal vigilance will henceforth have to be the watchword.

(The author is a former Member, Railway Board. blfeedback@thehindu.co.in)

Related Stories:
Lessons from Mumbai 7/11
A repeat of Madrid in London

More Stories on : Railways | Terrorism | Impressions

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