Ravneet Singh Orders Tightened Security After Punjab Railway Blast Incident

Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh on Wednesday visited the site of a recent blast near Shambhu in Punjab and conducted a detailed review of the security situation along the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC). The visit comes in the wake of repeated incidents targeting railway infrastructure in the region, raising concerns over safety and potential disruptions to critical transport networks.

Addressing the media after inspecting the site, the minister expressed serious concern over the attacks and assured that strict and immediate measures would be implemented. He announced that Indian Railways would intensify round-the-clock patrolling along the corridor and significantly expand surveillance coverage. Currently, 173 CCTV cameras have been installed in the Punjab region of the Ambala division, with plans underway to increase monitoring capacity further.

The minister said special focus would be placed on vulnerable and isolated stretches of the corridor, where advanced surveillance methods such as drone monitoring will be deployed. He also directed railway personnel to maintain continuous ground patrols to ensure the safety of tracks. Highlighting the seriousness of the situation, he noted that this was the second such incident within three months and within a radius of around 35 kilometres.

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Providing details, Ravneet Singh pointed out that the earlier incident occurred on January 23, approximately 800 to 900 metres from National Highway-44, while the latest blast site was located about 300 metres from the same highway. Preliminary assessments suggest that miscreants may be using easy access routes from the highway to target railway infrastructure, prompting authorities to reassess security strategies in these areas.

He further indicated the possibility of external involvement, stating that hostile elements could be attempting to destabilise the region by attacking critical infrastructure like railways. Such acts, he said, not only pose security threats but also risk disrupting economic activity. The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, which connects Sahnewal to West Bengal, is a key logistics route, handling around 30 trains daily and supporting industrial and agricultural supply chains.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police reported a major breakthrough within 24 hours of the incident, arresting four individuals linked to a Pakistan’s ISI-backed pro-Khalistani terror module allegedly responsible for the attempted blast. Authorities also recovered a significant quantity of militant hardware from the accused. The minister commended the alertness of the loco pilot, whose quick response helped avert a larger disaster, and reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of railway assets and uninterrupted operations.

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