Railways, BEST to tread with caution

MUMBAI: In a bid to prevent any untoward incident during Thursday’s bandh called by the Maratha Sakal Samaj at railway premises, the security agencies of Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR) identified vulnerable locations such as Boisar, Palghar, Virar, Vasai, Nallasopara, Dahisar, Kandivali, Borivali, Jogeshwari, Dadar, Ghatkopar, Lonavala, Thane, Kalyan, Koparkhairne, Ghansoli, Belapur, Vashi and Mankhurd. According to the Railway Protection Force (RPF), security has been beefed up at these stations.

The Brihanmumbai Electrical Supply and Transport undertaking (BEST) will operate its buses with mesh as a precautionary measure.

According to an official who attended a meeting at Mantralaya called by the state chief secretary,  the government has asked the railways to control the riot. If agitators gather at railway premises, they should disperse them. According to an RPF official, they have information that protesters may create a ruckus at Lonavala station. “Hence, we have deployed additional 50 RPF jawans. Ten to 15 jawans have been deployed at all vulnerable stations.” The premises of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and surrounding areas would be guarded by an additional force of 180 personnel, including 90 cops from the MRG police station and 40 GRPF personnel. The RPF has also issued an order to all RPF stations that all personnel need to be on duty for 12 hours.

Ravinder Bhakar, CPRO of WR said, “Security has been beefed up at vulnerable stations. We have deployed additional forces at these stations as well.”

A BEST official said, “If roads are blocked, we will divert bus routes.” BEST GM Dr. Surendrakumar Bagde said, “We will be running all our buses tomorrow.”