The NF railway has fortified 16 engines with
bullet-proof glass and other such material to resume passenger
trains in the Hill Section from Lumding to Badarpur from July 31
while, additional security personnel have been deployed for ensuring
security of the Railway staff on the stations and along the tracks.
Train services in the Hill section was suspended following a series
of attacks by the militants belonging to the Black Widow group and
though goods trains resumed earlier, passenger train services are
yet to resume. However, railway sources said today that at the
initial stage of resumption of passenger train services, only three
trains would run in a day. The stations in the Hill section, which
were closed following deterioration of the law and order situation,
are being reopened in phased manner.

Sources revealed that the engines to be used in the Hill section
have been fortified with bullet proof glass and other bullet
proofing materials to ensure safety of the drivers as train running
in the section was suspended after the death of a train driver in
one of the attacks launched by the militants. Bullet proof engines
have already been pressed into service in the goods trains being run
in the section. At present, the Railways are running 10 goods trains
including a security special train in the section every day.
However, night running of trains in the section still remains
suspended in the area and even when passenger train services are
resumed in the section, it is unlikely that trains would run at
night.

Meanwhile, official sources said that all possible security
arrangements have been made in the area to ensure safety of the
trains and the Railway personnel. All the goods trains running in
the area are accompanied by armed security personnel to thwart any
possible attack by the militants.

Sources pointed out that the Railway employees were demanding
adequate security arrangements in the stations to ensure their
safety and keeping that in mind, five companies of RPSF personnel
have been deployed in the area to be posted as static guards in 15
vulnerable stations. Sources said that security personnel including
Government railway police men have been deployed in the other
vulnerable stations. 25 sections of security personnel have been
deployed to accompany the gang men deployed by the Railways for
track patrolling, while, the telecom and signal staff are also being
accompanied by armed security personnel. The Superintendent of
Police of North Cachar Hills, has been entrusted with the
responsibility of deployment of forces available at his disposal
according to requirement to ensure safety of the trains and railway
personnel, sources added.

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