Indian Railways (IR) has recruited 4376 women employees for its Railway Protection Force (RPF) recently. Of this, 4078 are women constables and 298 are sub-Inspectors. They have started training as per Railway Minister Piyush Goyal’s reply to the Parliament.
IR presently deploys over more than 2300 women RPF personnel across the country.
Policing on IR is a state subject. Prevention of crime, registration/investigation of cases, maintenance of law and order in IR premises as well running trains is statutory responsibility of state governments. The Government Railway Police (GRP)/district police is entrusted with this responsibility.
However, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP to provide better protection and security of passenger area and passengers.
In addition, lady RPF personnel are also deployed for escorting of trains as Rakshak Dal as per availability to ensure adequate security to women passengers.
On an average, 344 women RPF police personnel are deployed as ‘Rakshak Dal’ in 150 running trains for escorting duty on daily basis.
To ensure security of passengers including women passengers IR has undertaken the following measures:-
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 (upto October), a total of 139422 & 83157 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. 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 already been been empanelled.
10. CCTV cameras have been installed at 501 Railway stations and in 2019 coaches. There is a provision for installation of CCTV cameras at 6124 Railway stations and in 58276 coaches. Work for installation of CCTV at 6124 stations and 7020 coaches is targeted to be completed by March-2021 (Phase-1).
Emergency Talk Back system and Closed Circuit Television Surveillance Cameras have been provided in all newly manufactured Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU), Main line Electrical Multiple Unit (MEMU) coaches and Air conditioned rakes of Kolkata Metro. This system is also being provided in all newly manufactured air-conditioned EMU rakes and underslung MEMU rakes. Railways have already provided Emergency Talk Back system and CCTV in ladies compartments/coaches of existing 12 EMU rakes and 150 EMU/MEMU rakes respectively. Further, flasher lights are also being provided in ladies coaches in 15 nos. of EMU rakes in South Eastern Railway. When the alarm chain of the coach will be pulled, these lights will start blinking and buzzer will start sounding till resetting of alarm chain.
