A joint operation of the West Bengal police and the Railway Protection Force could take place in case another incident similar to the Maoists holding the Bhubaneswar Rajdhani for over seven hours at Banstala, West Bengal, on October 27.

This was among the six recommendations sent by the West Bengal government to Eastern Railways GM A K Jain on October 31. The recommendations, signed by state Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen, were framed following a meeting at the Writers’ Building between state government and the railway officials.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, on the day Banstala incident took place, had instructed officials that the Railways should co-ordinate with the state government to launch a rescue operation there.

It was the joint forces in operation at Lalgarh which reached the spot four hours afer the incident and secured the train from the Maoists.

The state government has proposed building a police station for the GRP at Jhargram railway station, which will be equipped with adequate arms and ammunition. The government has also proposed that GRP personnel will be trained in bomb detection and will be deployed at various stations on the Maoist-affected Kharagpur-Chandil route.

Other recommendations include running of escort engines with armed guards ahead of most of the trains, checking tracks for mines, increasing the presence of RPF personnel in the trains.

“We have sent the proposal to the Railways but have not got any response so far,” Sen said.