Post second blast, Railways to start drone surveillance along freight corridor in Punjab: Bittu

With two blasts in the last three months targeting the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in Punjab, Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday said that Railways will intensify 24-hour patrolling and significantly expand surveillance coverage along the tracks.

With two blasts in the last three months targeting the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in Punjab, Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday said that Railways will intensify 24-hour patrolling and significantly expand surveillance coverage along the tracks. Bittu, who visited the blast site between Shambhu and Rajpura and reviewed the situation, expressed concern over repeated incidents targeting railway infrastructure in the state, and assured that strict and immediate measures would be taken to strengthen safety and monitoring. A pro-Khalistan terror module backed by Pakistan's ISI carried out a blast on the freight corridor near Shambhu in Patiala late on Monday night. One suspect died while he was trying to detonate the explosives, while four members of the group were arrested, Punjab Police said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters, the Railways MoS detailed measures being taken to ensure safety along the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC). He said the Railways will intensify 24-hour patrolling along the corridor and significantly expand surveillance coverage. At present, there are 173 CCTV cameras installed in the Punjab region of the Ambala Division, and further installations are underway. Railways will give special attention to secluded and vulnerable stretches of the corridor, where advanced monitoring methods, including drone surveillance, will be deployed. In addition, key railway personnel will conduct continuous ground patrols to ensure track safety. ''We will deploy drones because CCTV cameras alone won't be sufficient to keep an eye on long stretches. We are also installing solar cameras,'' Bittu said. Special Director General of Police (Railway) Shashi Prabha Dwivedi, who visited the explosion site on Tuesday, had also emphasised the need to install CCTVs along the freight corridor. Talking to reporters, Bittu pointed out that this is the second blast within a span of three months and within a distance of approximately 35 kilometres along the freight corridor. He said more than 200 groups are currently active in trying to disturb peace and harmony in Punjab. On January 23, another blast took place at Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib district, damaging the engine of a train and leaving a railway official injured. While the first explosion occurred around 800 metres from NH-44, the latest blast site is located about 300 metres from the same highway, prompting the authorities to believe that miscreants may be exploiting easy access routes from the highway to target railway tracks. Bittu said there were indications of external involvement, with hostile elements attempting to destabilise the region by targeting critical infrastructure such as railways. These acts, he noted, are not only security threats but also direct attempts to disrupt economic activity in the state. The EDFC, which connects Punjab's Sahnewal with West Bengal, is a vital economic artery with approximately 30 trains operating daily, transporting industrial and agricultural goods. Any disruption to this network poses a setback to the state and national economy. The Railway MoS also commended the alertness of a loco pilot, who promptly halted the train upon sensing the blast impact on Monday evening, thereby preventing a potentially larger accident. The loco pilot felt some jerk passing through the route and alerted the authorities. The message was flashed to higher railway authorities in Prayagraj, following which railway traffic was halted on the route and a railway safety team was immediately dispatched to the site for inspection, Bittu said. Reaffirming the government's commitment, he said that all necessary steps are being taken to safeguard railway assets, ensure passenger and freight safety, and maintain uninterrupted economic activity. During Monday's blast, a suspect identified as Jagrup Singh, a resident of Panjwar village in Tarn Taran district, died as he mishandled the explosive device while trying to plant it on the tracks to carry out the detonation, police said on Tuesday. Four others arrested in connection with the blast included Pardeep Khalsa, the kingpin of the module who was in close contact with Malaysia-based pro-Khalistani handlers and Pakistan-based arms suppliers, they had said. The accused were highly radicalised, Bittu said, adding that those who want to disturb peace and harmony in Punjab are connected to and backed by Pakistan's ISI. ''They are targeting rail tracks also. In the January incident, a rail safety officer was injured when a splinter hit him,'' he said. Punjab Police and Central agencies are fighting this war against those elements trying to disturb peace and harmony in the state, he said.