- Four railway officials were suspended after a 'filthy' train was assigned for BSF personnel.
- Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ordered a probe and new arrangements for the affected troops.
- A video showing the poor condition of the train went viral, prompting public outrage and complaints.
Four railway officials have been suspended after a dilapidated train was allotted to carry Border Security Force personnel to Jammu and Kashmir for security duty during the Amarnath Yatra. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who took action after the complaint, has also ordered a probe into the matter. A new train has been arranged for the BSF personnel and the minister has directed that there should be no repeat of such an incident in future.
The special train will now be run from Agartala for the BSF personnel, in which their convenience will be taken care of, the minister has said.
The officers who have been suspended with immediate effect include the Officer of Coaching Depot and three senior Section Engineers of Alipurduar Division.
The controversy started after a video of the earlier train, allegedly made by the jawans, was widely circulated on social media.
The video showed filthy and dirty compartments, dilapidated condition of the structure, including doors, windows, roof and electrical equipment. There were piles of dirt and garbage in the compartments.
Immediately after the video went viral, the Railways clarified that the compartments were to be sent for overhauling and were mistakenly attached to the BSF special train.
After the uproar on social media, NW Frontier Railway clarified on X that the allegation that such a coach was provided to BSF for travel is wrong.
It said coaches are made available for travel only after necessary maintenance, repair and cleaning. The train seen in the video was being sent for repairs and was not meant for the travel of BSF forces, the Railways said.
BSF sources in Delhi said the train for Jammu was to start from Tripura's Udaipur Monday and was to ferry a whole battalion -- about 13 companies -- of troops.
These soldiers are to be deployed for the Amarnath Yatra and were to reach by June 12. But now due to the change in trains, the soldiers will not be able to reach Jammu in time.
Amarnath Yatra is to start from July 3.
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