Jammu, April 30: A specialized 21-member security detail, featuring elite commandos from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), has been deployed to protect the Jammu–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express. Railway officials announced on Thursday that a sophisticated security apparatus is now in place along the entire 327-kilometre rail line to ensure the safety of the new service.
Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Security Commissioner of the RPF, stated that the regular operations of the train are set to commence on May 2. He maintained that the security strategy follows a “one plus twenty” model, where an inspector leads a team of 20 personnel, including eight CORAS (Commandos for Railway Security) members equipped with sophisticated weaponry.
The security infrastructure includes specialized posts stationed every two kilometres, staffed by quick reaction teams from both the Government Railway Police and civil police. Gangwar affirmed that a pilot vehicle will travel the route each morning ahead of the Vande Bharat to scan for potential hazards. He declared that any information regarding irregularities would result in the immediate securing of the affected sector.
For the extensive tunnel network, which spans 119 kilometres of the track, a dedicated sensor-based control system has been integrated. Officials asserted that these sensors are designed to detect unauthorized intrusion or fire, triggering alarms at guarded tunnel entrances. The corridor, built at a cost of approximately ₹43,780 crore, includes 943 bridges and 36 tunnels, providing the first all-weather rail link between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India.
