New Delhi: The Railways has suspended four staff members and intiated a detailed inquiry after an “unsuitable train” was alloted for the movement of BSF jawans from the Northeast to Jammu and Kashmir for deployment during the Amarnath Yatra, a day after a report in ThePrint highlighted the “unhygienic and dilapidated” condition of the coaches.
An officer from the Alipurduar Division Coaching Depot and three other employees have been suspended for allegedly providing an “unsuitable/old train” to BSF jawans, the Railway Ministry’s official support handle @RailwaySeva posted on X Wednesday.
The ministry has also initiated a detailed inquiry into the incident and stated all necessary measures are being taken to prevent such lapses in the future.
The special troop movement is a critical part of the security arrangements for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage scheduled between 3 July and 9 August.
रेलवे ने अलीपुरद्वार मंडल कोचिंग डिपो के अधिकारी सहित 4 कर्मचारियों को निलंबित कर दिया है। BSF जवानों को अव्यवस्थित ट्रेन उपलब्ध कराने के मामले में यह कार्रवाई की गई है। pic.twitter.com/hXHLmQ6EPi
— RailwaySeva (@RailwaySeva) June 11, 2025
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took immediate action after the issue was highlighted and ordered the suspension of the Alipurduar coaching depot officer and three senior section engineers from the division, the ministry said.
“The Railway Minister has made it clear that the dignity and comfort of security forces are of the utmost priority and that such negligence will not be tolerated at any level,” it said in a press release.
BSF officials had earlier confirmed to ThePrint that the coaches provided were in such poor condition it appeared they had not been used for months. This was discovered during an inspection at Udaipur station in Tripura’s Agartala, after which senior railway officials were immediately informed.
Personnel carrying out an inspection found cockroaches, damaged washrooms soiled with human waste on the dilapidated coaches, which they flagged to Northeast Frontier Railway.
In addition to the condition of the coaches, a commandant-level officer flagged an “inexcusable delay” by the Northeast Frontier Railway in allotting a special train. This led to a delay of more than 72 hours in the movement of BSF troops.
The personnel, who were scheduled to be deployed in Jammu and Kashmir by 12 June from various parts of the Northeast, were unable to depart until Tuesday evening.
The press statement also said that a special train is now being arranged from Agartala exclusively for BSF personnel, with railway authorities assuring that full attention will be paid to their convenience and dignity.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: BSF slams Rlys over ‘filthy, dilapidated’ train, 72-hour delay in troop movement for Amarnath Yatra
Indian Railways has been running on “Ram bharose” mode ever since Mr. Ashwini Vaishnaw was appointed as the Railway Minister. He has been the most spectacular failure of Modi’s picks. And yet, he continues in his position.
Seems like there is no accountability in Modi sarkar.