RPF commandos to protect Vande Bharat trains on Srinagar route

Commando forces of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), popularly known as CORAS, have been deployed for the security of Vande Bharat trains on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line, ferrying passengers between the Kashmir Valley and Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir.

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“The RPF’s Commandos for Railway Security (CORAS) have been deployed on Vande Bharat trains on USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link) between Katra and Kashmir,” an official said.

The commandos made their presence felt on the inaugural trains flagged off by the Prime Minister. Each of the two Vande Bharat trains will have 15 commandos and a supervisor each on board to ensure the security and safety of train travel, officials said. The units have been recently brought from outside and will be based in the Budgam area of the Kashmir valley and the Katra belt of Reasi district.

After focusing on high-risk security operations, especially in areas with threats like Naxalite insurgency, this is the first time CORAS has been deployed in J&K.

With the official flag-off by the prime minister, the Indian Railways will commence regular operations of the two new Vande Bharat trains on June 7. The trains will run six days a week, with Tuesdays reserved for maintenance, Railway officials said.