Steps taken for safety and security of women passengers

INN/New Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

Policing on Railways being a State subject, prevention of crime, registration of cases, their investigation and maintenance of law & order in Railway premises as well as on running trains are the statutory responsibility of the State Governments, which they discharge through Government Railway Police (GRP)/District Police.

However, Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP to provide better protection and security of passenger area & passengers. Cases of Indian Penal Code (IPC) crime in Railways are registered and investigated by the concerned Government Railway Police.

However, following measures are being taken by the Railways in coordination with Government Railway Police to ensure security of passengers including women passengers:-

1. On vulnerable and identified routes/sections, 2200 trains (on an average) are escorted by Railway Protection Force daily in addition to 2200 trains escorted by Government Railway Police of different States daily.
2. Security Help Line number 182 is made operational (24X7) over Indian Railways for security related assistance to passengers in distress.
3. Through various social media platforms viz. twitter, facebook etc., Railways are in regular touch with passengers including women to enhance security of passengers and to address their security concern.
4. Drives are conducted against entry of male passengers into compartments reserved for women passengers and persons apprehended are prosecuted under section 162 of The Railways Act, 1989. During the years 2018 & 2019, a total of 139422 & 114170 male passengers respectively have been prosecuted for unauthorized entry/travel in compartments reserved for women passengers.
5. Ladies Special trains running in Metropolitan cities are being escorted by lady RPF personnel. In other trains, where escorts are provided, the train escorting parties have been briefed to keep extra vigil on the lady passengers travelling alone, ladies coaches en-route and at halting stations.
6. Frequent announcements are made through Public Address System to educate passengers to take precautions against theft, snatching, drugging etc.
7. Regular coordination is made with the State Police/GRP authorities at all levels for prevention of crime, registration of cases, their investigation and maintenance of law & order in Railway premises as well as on running trains.
8. An Integrated Security System (ISS) consisting of surveillance of vulnerable stations through Close Circuit Television Camera Network, Access Control etc. has been sanctioned to improve surveillance mechanism over 202 railway stations.
9. Fixed CCTV cameras have been provided in 2019 coaches (upto November’2019) and 511 Railway stations (upto December’2019) for enhancing security of passengers.
10. Emergency Talk Back system and Closed Circuit Television Surveillance Cameras have been provided in ladies compartments/coaches of all newly manufactured Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) and Air conditioned rakes of Kolkata Metro. This system has also been provided in all newly manufactured air-conditioned EMU rakes. With a view to further fortify the security system, in addition to CCTV Cameras and Emergency Talk Back System, flasher lights have also been provided in ladies coaches in EMU rakes in South Eastern Railway. When the alarm chain of the coach is pulled, these lights will start blinking and buzzer will start sounding till resetting of alarm chain.

The deployment of RPF guard including women personnel in ladies coaches is decided based on vulnerability of the concerned train/sections, timing, location of the area, threat perception of the hinterland, analysis of past crime data among others. Therefore, the deployment is dynamic and keeps on changing from time to time.

In order to increase representation of women in RPF to the level of 10%, 4517 out of 9739 vacancies notified in the year 2018 were notified for women. In this recruitment, 4376 women RPF personnel have been empanelled.

This information was given by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.