Lok Sabha Question No. 4499 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-14
Subject: Damage to Railway Property by Naxalites
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4499 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.12.2016

## DAMAGE TO RAILWAY PROPERTY BY NAXALITES

†4499. SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the naxalites have damaged railway property during last one year;
- (b) if so, the total value of the property damaged;
- (c) whether  the  maximum  damage  has  been  assessed  during  the current year out of the last three years;
- (d) if  so,  the  total  amount  of  money  spent  by  the  railways  on  the safety of railway property; and
- (e) the steps being taken by the railways to save its property?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS ( SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN )

- (a) to (e):    A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4499 BY SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 14.12.2016 REGARDING DAMAGE TO RAILWAY PROPERTY BY NAXALITES

(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. During the year 2015, Railway property worth ` 7,02,92,441/- was damaged by the naxalites.

(c): No, Madam.  Maximum damage to railway property by naxalites was caused in the year 2014.

(d):  The total amount of money spent by the Railways on the safety of railway property is as under:-

| Year            |   Expenditure by Railway on the safety of railway property ( ` in crore) |
|-----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2013-14         |                                                                  2946.99 |
| 2014-15         |                                                                  3415.43 |
| 2015-16 (Prov.) |                                                                  3833.63 |

(e):  Policing  on  Railways  being  a  State  subject,  prevention  of  crime, registration  of  cases,  their  investigation  and  maintenance  of  law  and order in Railway premises as well as on running trains are the statutory responsibility of the State Governments, which they discharge through Government  Railway  Police  (GRP)/District  Police.  However,  Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP by deploying its staff  for  escorting  of  important  trains  in  affected  areas  and  access control duties at important and sensitive stations.

Besides,  the  following  steps  are  also  being  taken  by  the  Railways  to provide security to Railway property:-

1. An  Integrated Security System  consisting  of surveillance of vulnerable stations through Close Circuit Television  Camera Network,  Access  Control  etc.  has  been  sanctioned  to  improve surveillance mechanism over 202 railway stations.

2. Surveillance is kept through CCTV cameras, provided at about 344 stations  over  Indian  Railways,  to  ensure  safety  and  security  of passengers.
3. The RPF personnel escorting trains in Naxalites/Maoists/insurgent affected areas are equipped with sophisticated weapons, sufficient ammunition, bullet proof jackets, walkie-talkies, dragon search lights etc.
4. RPF staff are deployed at stations, workshops, vital installations, in sections & trains for protection of railway property.
5. Dog  Squads  are  extensively  used  at  station/platforms/trains  for anti sabotage checking.
6. All  possible preventive measures are taken in co-ordination with GRP/Local Police during bundh calls/ threat alerts.
7. RPF  holds  regular  coordination  meetings  with  State  Police  and GRP besides sharing intelligence inputs with Intelligence Bureau and  other  intelligence  agencies  of  State  to  prevent  attacks  on railway infrastructure.

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