The Border Security Force (BSF) has raised significant concerns regarding the delays and conditions of a special train arranged by the Northeast Frontier Railway for troop movement to Jammu and Kashmir in preparation for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra. In a letter addressed to railway officials, a commandant-level BSF officer highlighted a delay exceeding 72 hours and described the coaches as both “unhygienic and dilapidated,” emphasizing serious sanitation issues.
Originally scheduled to reach Udaipur Railway Station in Tripura on June 6, the train did not arrive until the evening of June 9, leaving approximately 1,300 personnel from 13 BSF companies stranded. These troops were expected to arrive in Jammu and Kashmir by June 12, to be in place ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, which is slated to begin on July 3.
Upon inspection, BSF personnel discovered a disturbing level of neglect in the coaches, noting infestations of cockroaches and other insects. The washrooms were reportedly in a dire state—damaged and soiled with human waste, lacking water. Images captured by the personnel and shared with higher authorities depicted broken interiors and unsanitary conditions, which raised alarms over potential health risks for the troops during the lengthy journey.
In response to the uproar, officials from the Northeast Frontier Railway stated that the coaches in question were actually earmarked for maintenance and had been mistakenly used by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). K. K. Sharma, the Chief Public Relations Officer of NFR, clarified that the coaches marked for Periodic Overhauling were incorrectly boarded by personnel, and assured that the issue was rectified in Agartala before the train continued its journey.
Despite this clarification, sources indicated that the train eventually departed for Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday evening. However, BSF officials continued to express concerns that the delays and mismanagement could hinder timely troop deployment, particularly in light of increased security demands following a recent terror attack in Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists.
In total, the Ministry of Home Affairs has authorized the deployment of 425 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) companies for the Amarnath Yatra, which includes 130 additional troops from the BSF to bolster the existing 156 companies already stationed in the area.
The BSF has called upon the Railways to upgrade the faulty coaches and to adhere more strictly to hygiene and safety standards for future troop transports, underscoring the critical need for proper conditions in the conduct of security operations.
