New Delhi: The Border Security Force (BSF) Tuesday lodged a strong protest with the Railways after it sent a train with “unhygienic and dilapidated” coaches to move troops from the Northeast region to Jammu and Kashmir for deployment during the Amarnath Yatra from 3 July to 9 August.
Additionally, a commandant-level officer flagged an “inexcusable delay” by the Northeast Frontier Railway in allotting a special train, leading to a more than 72-hour delay in the departure of troops. The troops who are supposed to be deployed in Jammu and Kashmir by 12 June from various parts of the Northeast could not leave until Tuesday evening.
“A CAPF special train for Amaranth Ji Yatra duty was requisitioned well in advance and was scheduled to be placed at Udaipur Railway Station (Tripura) on 6th June 2025. However, due to inexcusable delay best known to NF railway, the train was made available only on 9th June 2025 and placed at Udaipur station on 9th June 25 at 18:30 hours,” a BSF officer, leading the movement of troops, wrote in a letter to the Agartala station manager Tuesday.
“As such, the departure of the train is already delayed beyond 72 hours, whereas the entire Battalion was supposed to be inducted and deployed by 12th June 2025 as per directions of MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs),” the letter further reads.
Northeast Frontier Railway Chief Public Relations Officer K K Sharma said the coaches seen in the videos were attached for maintenance purposes and were not meant for passengers’ use. He also said some CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) personnel had boarded those coaches by mistake, leading to confusion and misunderstanding before they were detached from the train at Agartala.
“The videos of the coaches, which is being circulated on social media, were attached with the train for dispatch for maintenance or Periodic Overhauling (POH). These were not meant for use of passengers and were marked as such. Some of the CAPF personnel had boarded that coach by mistake, which led to the confusion and misunderstanding. Both of these coaches were detached in Agartala and all the other concerns and objections of CAPF personnel have been resolved. The train has now left for the destination,” Sharma told ThePrint.
Sources aware of the development said the train left for Jammu and Kashmir from Agartala Tuesday evening.
BSF officials confirmed to ThePrint the coaches were found to be in such poor condition that it suggested they were not used for months, and the senior railway officers were informed right after an inspection at the Udaipur station in Tripura’s Agartala.
On Friday, the force was supposed to send 13 companies, comprising nearly 1,300 personnel, from its Northeast frontiers in Tripura, Guwahati, Mizoram, and Cachar (Assam).
Scheduled to take place between 3 July and 9 August this year, the Amarnath Yatra is a popular pilgrimage among Hindus. Lakhs of devotees travel to the Amarnath shrine, located in a cave in Anantnag’s Pahalgam block.
The Amarnath Yatra has traditionally been carried out amid intensive security protection. This year, the yatra is even more critical for the security establishment, considering it comes a few months after the Pahalgam terror attack, when terrorists killed 26 tourists.
On 23 May, the Ministry of Home Affairs sanctioned the union territory government 425 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), a maximum of which is from the BSF (130), followed by 128 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
This extra deployment is in addition to the already 156 CAPF companies which are in the union territory for providing security during the Yatra.
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‘Washrooms with human waste all around’
The officials in the BSF said that as soon as the train was made available, personnel inspected it on the spot, where at least seven glaring shortcomings—including broken interior of the bogies with holes in most places—were observed and flagged.
The officials said the Northeast Frontier Railway’s chief passenger transportation manager was made aware of the entire itinerary as early as 2 June. It included troops being moved 6 June for their induction on 12 June.
The BSF had alerted the NFR that 24 bogies would be required for the movement of troops who will board in clusters at Udaipur, Ambasa, Badarpur, Goalpara, and New Cooch Behar, the official said. However, despite a prompt alert to the railway authorities, the officials said, the train was available only at 6.30 pm Monday.
The BSF personnel carrying out the inspection also spotted cockroaches, insects, and filth all over the coach, including the berths. The official flagged this to the NFR in a written communication.
The personnel also highlighted the poor conditions of the washrooms, which were soiled with human waste all around. The washrooms were also severely damaged and without water which the inspecting team flagged it to their superiors, who subsequently flagged it to the NFR, the BSF officials said.
“In the circumstances narrated above, it is not possible for troops to travel such a long distance journey in unhygienic/filthy and inhumane conditions. There are all possibilities that most of them may fall sick even before deployment,” the BSF officer wrote in the letter.
“In the light of facts enumerated above, the said bogies be immediately replaced, or other necessary action may be taken as per protocol and norms laid down by railway authorities. After doing the needful, the special train will be immediately placed for timely travel and reach the destination as per the schedule given by MHA and BSF Force HQrs,” the letter concluded.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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