The X-ray luggage scanner at Tatanagar station is likely to become fully operational from December 27.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawans, who will operate the Rs 27-lakh machine on platform one, are currently undergoing a three-day training on how to run it.

RPF inspector M.K. Singh on Sunday said the machine would make the A-1 category station very safe.

“Around half-a-dozen RPF personnel are currently undergoing the training. Once it is over, we will make gadget operational,” Singh added.

He said for all these years there was no method to check the luggage of passengers.

“RPF personnel will be posted at the station’s entrance near the luggage scanner. No passengers will be allowed to enter the platform without getting their belongings scanned. The second entry point around 15 metres away from the main entrance will be closed,” Singh added.

An official of Noida-based Vehant Technologies, which installed the scanner, said the machine was 5.5 metre-long and one metre wide having an overhead monitor.

Railway authorities have also installed two CCTV cameras above the scanner to ensure every detail is recorded.

Singh said the machine would need just six seconds to scan each luggage. “Despite the rush at the station daily, passengers would not have to wait for long after putting their luggage for scanning,” he added.

Tatanagar is an important railway junction on the Howrah-Mumbai main route that witnesses a daily traffic of around 90 trains, including the premier Rajdhani and Duronto.