The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Vijayawada News : Manpower crunch, equipment shortage hit Government Railway Police

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Saturday, Apr 02, 2011
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

Manpower crunch, equipment shortage hit Government Railway Police

Ramesh Susarla

Against sanctioned strength of 884 persons, force being manned only by 411
It has jurisdiction over a major portion of coastal districts of State

VIJAYAWADA: Severe manpower crunch, together with lack of proper equipment, has severely affected the efficacy of the Vijayawada Government Railway Police, who have their jurisdiction over a major portion of coastal Andhra Pradesh.The State government recently issued an order enhancing the sanctioned strength of the police personnel at all levels from police constables to superintendent of railway police from 483 to 884, but in practice the Vijayawada GRP is being manned by only 411 persons. Against the 411 constables (as per the G.O.), only 350 are available. The GRP had written to the Director-General of Police to depute personnel from all districts within its jurisdiction.

“We are hopeful of getting a sub-inspector, two head constables and 10 constables from each district from Prakasam, Kurnool, Nalgonda, Guntur, Krishna, West Godavari, East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam,” Superintendent of Railway Police S. Abdul Khan told The Hindu.

The GRP and the Railway Protection Force of the South Central Railway have identified 75 key trains that move from Itchapuram to Bapatla or Miryalguda between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. for providing escort. While the RPF deploys 60 of its personnel for the purpose, 90 GRP personnel and 20 home guards do the job every alternate day, four days a week.

If the total sanctioned strength of the GRP personnel was recruited, stopping property offences would become easier, Mr. Khan said, dishing out statistics of rising number of cases.

In calendar year 2010, as many as 1,199 cases of death (a majority of them suicides) were registered, as against 916 in 2009. In the current year, 167 complaints had been received so far.

Many of the cases registered here pertained to property offences committed outside Vijayawada GRP jurisdiction, he said. Only 20 per cent of the total number of cases pertained to theft of baggage and gold jewellery, he pointed out. “Despite our repeated advice to passengers not to carry gold ornaments, many of them carry 50 to 60 tolas of yellow metal jewellery,” Mr. Khan said. During summer months, gangs from other states were usually active on trains, and, hence, passengers needed to be careful, he added.

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