NEW DELHI: A controversy arose after Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were allocated a train with damaged and unhygienic coaches for their journey from Tripura to Kashmir for Amarnath Yatra duty. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw acknowledged the situation and responded by suspending four officials and initiating an inquiry.The minister’s response was shared by Railways support account, Railway Seva, where users had criticised the railways after videos of the train’s poor condition was shared by Congress Spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed on X. “This is what happens when the government’s entire focus is on PR for a few flashy trains, while the masses are forced to travel like animals,” she said, calling out PM Modi and Vaishnaw for “providing a filthy train—full of dirt, cockroaches, and broken seats—for our BSF soldiers heading for Amarnath Yatra duty.“The Railways, replied by sharing a video of Vaishnaw, in which he can be heard responding to reporter’s question saying, “Action was taken on this yesterday itself. The train’s rake was changed. Four officers who were responsible for this have been suspended.”The suspended official includes the Coaching Depot Officer of Alipurduar and three senior Section Engineers of Alipurduar Division. “A few coaches of the train initially allotted to our jawans were in poor condition. The issue was brought to the attention of Indian Railways through an official letter. Following this, a replacement train was arranged. The jawans will now continue their journey,” it said, quoted by ANI.The BSF also clarified amid reports of 1,200 BSF personnel refusing to travel for deployment to the Amarnath Yatra.The issue was reported to Indian Railways through an official letter. Subsequently, a replacement train was arranged, allowing the jawans to continue their journey.Approximately 1,200 BSF personnel from 13 companies were set to board a special train on June 6 from Udaipur, Tripura, to Jammu Tawi. The journey included several stops to collect troops from various locations across Tripura, Assam and West Bengal. The troops were part of additional central forces deployment for the Amarnath Yatra, scheduled from July 3 in Jammu and Kashmir.The BSF received the train on June 9, and upon inspection, troops documented the poor and unsanitary conditions of the coaches through video recordings.The widespread circulation of these videos showing the unsuitable state of the coaches prompted significant criticism, requiring senior railway officials’ attention.On June 10, the Northeast Frontier Railway refuted allegations about providing substandard coaches, stating the filmed coach was destined for repairs and not intended for BSF use.The Amarnath Yatra will continue for 38 days until August 9. The Centre has authorised deployment of 581 CAPF companies, comprising approximately 42,000 personnel.Enhanced security measures are being implemented as the pilgrimage, previously targeted by terrorists, occurs following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in 26 casualties, primarily tourists.
