Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Nov 23: At a time when Tatanagar station remains on high alert, critical security systems meant to protect thousands of passengers are lying defunct. The Burmamines Gate—the station’s secondary but heavily used entrance—is witnessing unchecked movement of passengers as the luggage scanner installed there has been out of order for months. With baggage screening completely halted at both the Burmamines Gate and the main entrance, security personnel admit that anyone carrying suspicious items can access platforms “without the slightest obstacle,” posing a serious threat to the station’s safety.
The situation is no different at the parcel office. The scanner there stopped functioning on July 7 and has not been repaired since, leaving all types of cargo—small, large, sealed or unsealed—to reach the platform without any security scrutiny. “Parcels are the most vulnerable to conceal explosives or illegal goods. A non-functional scanner means we are taking a huge risk every single day,” an RPF official said. Meanwhile, the scanner at the main gate malfunctioned on June 26, was repaired briefly in September and broke down again within days. It remains out of service, adding to concerns among passengers and security staff.
Despite these failures, the Railway Protection Force has deployed alternative measures in an attempt to plug the gaps. Two sniffer dogs patrol platforms, waiting halls, ticket counters and parcel areas twice daily. A network of 142 CCTV cameras monitors the station premises. Four-wheeled vehicles entering through the main gate are checked with a vehicle scanner. “These are temporary solutions. Sniffer dogs and CCTV cameras are important, but they cannot replace machine-based luggage scanning,” a senior security official stressed.
The importance of scanners was underscored recently when a licensed pistol was detected in a passenger’s bag at the main gate. The RPF immediately seized the weapon, verified the documents and returned it only after confirming the license. In another instance, a bottle of liquor being carried illegally onto a train was flagged by the scanner. These cases, officials say, prove that scanners are the station’s “first and most effective line of defence,” capable of detecting both dangerous weapons and prohibited items.
Tatanagar sees more than 70 trains daily and handles 35,000–40,000 passengers, making it one of the busiest junctions in the region. Yet, on-ground security infrastructure remains patchy. The RPF had earlier planned to install face detector cameras at the station’s entry points to enhance surveillance. Although a security survey was completed, the installation was deferred due to ongoing redevelopment work and risks of construction-related damage. CCTV cameras already in place have helped nab fugitives, suspects and habitual offenders on several occasions, but officials believe face recognition cameras would “significantly strengthen” real-time identification and arrests.
Passengers, meanwhile, are alarmed that in a high alert environment, the core security mechanism—luggage scanning—is barely functional. Many fear that continued negligence could trigger a major security lapse. As one commuter put it, “Everything else is secondary. If scanners don’t work, the station is practically open to anyone and anything.”
