Bhubaneswar: East Coast Railway has installed advanced parcel scanner machines at 10 key parcel offices, reinforcing efforts to improve safety and security in the movement of booked consignments. The equipment has been installed since Nov 3 across all three divisions of the zone to screen parcels before they are accepted for onward transport by train. The move is aimed at reducing risks linked to unsafe materials.Of the 10 operational facilities, five are in Khurda Road division, four in Sambalpur division and one in Rayagada division. In Khurda Road division, scanners have been commissioned at Bhubaneswar, Puri, Khurda Road, Cuttack and Berhampur. Sambalpur division has introduced the machines at Sambalpur, Titlagarh, Balangir and Kantabanji, while Rayagada division has made the facility available at Rayagada.These modern screening systems are designed to examine parcels, luggage-like packages and other booked items before being loaded onto trains. They can help identify inflammable substances, fire-prone materials, crackers, explosives, unauthorised goods and articles prohibited under railway rules or law. By enabling early detection, the scanners are expected to support safer handling of consignments and better control over parcel traffic passing through stations.Two more are coming in Sambalpur division. One parcel scanner has been placed at Kesinga, which will start soon. At Bargarh Road, the machine has already been supplied, while work on the concrete foundation and electrical arrangements is underway. Once completed, this facility will further expand the screening coverage in the division.“The installation of these machines is expected to make parcel operations more secure by preventing restricted and dangerous goods from entering the railway supply chain. It will also assist parcel staff in carrying out checks more efficiently, especially at busy stations where consignments are booked in large numbers,” said an official spokesperson of ECoR. Improved screening will reduce dependence on manual inspection and provide a stronger layer of protection for passengers, railway property and train services, he added.“The initiative reflects East Coast Railway’s focus on using technology to modernise commercial operations and strengthen security procedures. With parcel traffic continuing to grow, systematic scanning before dispatch will help ensure safer transportation and enhance public confidence in railway services across the region in coming days significantly,” said an official statement of ECoR.