Ravneet Singh visits Shambhu blast site, orders 24-hr EDFC patrols
Synopsis
A railway blast near Shambhu — the second in three months on the same corridor — has exposed a pattern of ISI-linked attacks on India's critical freight infrastructure. Within 24 hours, Punjab Police arrested four suspects tied to a pro-Khalistani terror module, while Union Minister Ravneet Singh ordered drone surveillance and round-the-clock patrols on the EDFC, a lifeline connecting Punjab to West Bengal.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Ravneet Singh visited the blast site near Shambhu, Punjab on 29 April 2025 and reviewed EDFC security.
This is the second blast targeting railway infrastructure in the region within three months , both within approximately 35 km of each other.
Punjab Police busted a Pakistan's ISI -backed pro-Khalistani terror module within 24 hours , arresting four suspects.
The Railways will deploy drone surveillance and intensify 24-hour patrolling on the EDFC; 173 CCTV cameras are already installed in the Ambala division.
The EDFC connects Sahnewal to West Bengal , with approximately 30 trains operating daily carrying industrial and agricultural goods.
Preliminary assessments suggest miscreants are exploiting access routes from National Highway-44 to target the tracks.
Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh on Wednesday, 29 April 2025, visited the blast site near Shambhu in Punjab and reviewed the security situation along the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) of Indian Railways. The visit came hours after Punjab Police busted an alleged Pakistan's ISI-backed pro-Khalistani terror module linked to the attack, arresting four suspects within 24 hours of the blast.
What the Minister Announced
Speaking to the media after the site visit, Ravneet Singh expressed serious concern over repeated incidents targeting railway infrastructure in the state. He announced that the Railways would intensify 24-hour patrolling along the EDFC and significantly expand surveillance coverage across vulnerable stretches.
At present, 173 CCTV cameras have already been installed in the Punjab region of the Ambala division, with further installations underway.
Point of View
Both within striking distance of National Highway-44, suggest a deliberate and rehearsed operational pattern — not isolated vandalism. The rapid arrest of an ISI-linked module within 24 hours is a policing success, but it also raises an uncomfortable question: why does this stretch of the EDFC remain accessible enough for repeat attacks despite prior warnings? The EDFC is not just a railway line — it is a strategic economic artery, and repeated targeting of it signals that hostile elements understand its symbolic and material value. The Centre's response — more cameras, more drones, more patrols — addresses symptoms; the harder question of border-adjacent radicalisation networks and highway-proximate track vulnerability demands a structural answer.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Shambhu railway blast site in Punjab?
An explosion targeted a railway track near Shambhu town in Punjab, marking the second such blast on the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor within three months. Punjab Police subsequently arrested four suspects linked to an alleged Pakistan's ISI-backed pro-Khalistani terror module within 24 hours of the incident.
Who visited the Shambhu blast site and what measures were announced?
Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh visited the site on 29 April 2025 and announced 24-hour patrolling, expanded CCTV coverage, and drone surveillance for vulnerable sections of the EDFC. He also highlighted that 173 cameras are already operational in the Ambala division.
What is the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor and why does it matter?
The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) connects Sahnewal in Punjab to West Bengal and is a critical economic artery for transporting industrial and agricultural goods. Approximately 30 trains operate on it daily, making any disruption a setback to both the state and national economy.
Is there foreign involvement suspected in the Punjab railway blasts?
Union Minister Ravneet Singh stated that there are indications of external involvement, with hostile elements allegedly attempting to destabilise the region by targeting critical infrastructure. Punjab Police's arrest of an ISI-linked pro-Khalistani module within 24 hours of the latest blast lends weight to that assessment, according to officials.
How close are the two blast sites to each other and to the highway?
The two blasts occurred within approximately 35 km of each other. The earlier blast on 23 January was around 800–900 metres from National Highway-44, while the latest site is about 300 metres from the same highway — a proximity that officials say may be enabling easy access for attackers.
