Kolkata, July 25 — Security has been enhanced at the Jasidih railway station in Jharkhand with the month-long Sravani Mela 2026 set to commence, officials said on Saturday.
With nearly one lakh pilgrims expected to pass through the station every day over the next month, Eastern Railway (ER) has significantly strengthened security and crowd management arrangements there to ensure a safe, secure and seamless journey for devotees visiting Baba Baidyanath Dham.
A.N. Sinha, Railway Protection Force (RPF) Inspector General (IG) of ER, accompanied by the Asansol Senior Divisional Security Commissioner Pawan Kumar conducted an extensive inspection of the security arrangements at the station as part of the preparations.
The IG reviewed the overall security preparedness by inspecting the passenger holding area, station premises, Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) and the Jasidih RPF Post.
Special attention was given to the newly developed passenger holding area, designed to regulate and streamline the movement of pilgrims before they enter the station premises, thereby preventing overcrowding and ensuring smooth passenger flow.
Sinha also reviewed the deployment of AI-enabled Face Recognition System (FRS) cameras installed at strategic locations.
Integrated with a database of known offenders, the system generates real-time alerts upon detecting listed individuals, enabling RPF personnel to swiftly identify and intercept suspicious or wanted persons.
He also assessed the surveillance network, deployment of security personnel, crowd management strategies and emergency response mechanisms to effectively handle the anticipated surge in pilgrim traffic.
A high-level coordination meeting was also convened with senior officials from various railway departments, the Government Railway Police (GRP), local police and the civil administration.
The focus of this meeting was on strengthening inter-agency coordination, ensuring effective communication and synchronised action for smooth passenger movement, enhanced security and efficient management throughout the Mela period.
The IG, while addressing the RPF personnel during a Suraksha Sammelan, highlighted the importance of constant vigilance, professionalism and passenger-centric service.
He directed round-the-clock crowd management, deployment of security escorts on Mela Special trains, operation of 24×7 passenger assistance and help desks, enhanced surveillance at vulnerable locations and strict action against anti-social elements to ensure a safe environment for pilgrims.
The ER has taken measures to prevent any untoward incident and ensure smooth travel for both pilgrims and regular passengers during this period, an official said.
Security personnel have been sensitised towards the need to behave in a cordial manner and keep things under control under all circumstances.