Railway minister Lalu Prasad will be visiting Israel soon on the invitation of its deputy prime minister to study the railway security system being used there.
The Mumbai suburban train bomb blasts on July 11, 2006, followed by bomb attacks in Samjhauta Express on February 19, 2007, had led to a public outcry against the railways' poor security system.
After that, the government and the railways took several steps to bolster the security system across its country-wide network. But the repeated attacks on trains by Naxalite groups as well, in some parts of the country, have exposed the vulnerability of the railway security system. These attacks have compelled railway experts to look for a better security system and they have zeroed in on Israel for obvious reasons.
But before visiting Israel, the railway minister will be visiting China and Japan in June to understand the Chinese railways' crowd control system and Japan's high speed trains and their safety systems, sources in Rail Bhavan said on Friday.
During his visits, Lalu may also look at appropriate technology required for the dedicated freight corridor project. He is likely to be accompanied by railways' technical and security experts.
(Source - Times Of India, 26/05/07)
