Editorial
Railways suffering from insecurity
Authorities need to roll up their sleeves
WITH seemingly unending blockade and people unable to utilise roads for inter-district travel, railway is the only alternative for thousands of ordinary commuters. With railway suffering repeated acts of sabotage that have led to several derailments of trains, we are forced to ask precisely why security has not been beefed up sufficiently to protect this national asset. It is not only derailment, but the acts of arson that have led to the burning of train bogeys. Indeed, by the railway’s own assessment, there are no less than 630 points nationwide that are considered susceptible to sabotage.
We are told that security has been beefed up at these locations. As it turns out, “security measures” turn out to be the deployment of four Ansar members at each point. Precisely how four members of Ansar are to deter a determined group bent on causing havoc appears to have eluded the authorities. Such half hearted measures have not brought desired results. Deliberate acts of sabotage continue to happen and people remain at the mercy of higher powers. The situation is not just sad, it is pathetic. Obviously, the authorities need a reality check. Serious security measures like deployment of armed police or paramilitary personnel, deployment of a shuttle train to check rail line safety prior to departure of a regular train service, etc. are all planned but have not been executed as yet. We strongly urge the authorities to treat the matter seriously and, among other steps, bolster cooperation of the people at the vulnerable points of the tracks.
The Daily Star
