RPF/WR planned an innovative programme in coordination with Akshara, an NGO which works in women welfare domain. The first and foremost requirement for better deliverance is human resource development and sharpening the skills of field staff is imperative for desired result.
Hence, a sensitization programme for RPF staff who perform duty in RPF Helpline, Security control room, Twitter complaint cell and Train escort duty was organized on 29th November, 2019 in Mumbai Central Divisional office.
About 40 RPF personnel including 17 male RPF supervisors/staff and 8 women RPF staff attended the programme. A power point presentation was delivered by Ms.Sneghal Velkar and Ms.Urmila Salunkar of Akshara NGO. They explained the different types of sexual harassments and gender discrimination faced by women in general and women railway commuters in particular. They explained how and why the women are unwilling to openly express their problems as there a peculiar practice of blaming the victim. They insisted that the security personnel should hear the problems expressed by women passengers fully with more patience and sensitivity and take prompt action on the complaint.
It will boost up the confidence of ladies and encourage them to come forward to express their problems with more faith in the security system. The women RPF staff elaborated their own experiences about real incidents reported by women passengers during their duty time and what action was taken by them to solve the women security related issues. A directory containing details of various agencies working on women security and welfare is distributed to RPF staff working in Helpline and control room.
Shri Bhakar further stated that an interaction session with women commuters was organized at Churchgate station wherein women passengers were asked to express their problems faced in Railways and their suggestions for improvement. An innovative concept titled “Idea Tree” was set up at Churchgate station in which the ideas given by women passengers were collected and pasted. The women commuters were explained about the various actions & initiatives taken by W. Rly to ensure their hassle free journey and complaint mechanism available for them to contact for any help. More than 200 commuters joined in this campaign and have shared the pledge #NotToBeBystander.
11902 cases were registered under section 162 of Railways Act against those found travelling in ladies coaches in this year upto October 2019. The molestation cases against women have declined in the current year by about 40% upto October, 2019 as compared to last year. Also, 126 girls & 37 women have been rescued by RPF. Ensuring security of women passengers in trains and railway premises is on top priority for Western Railway. Many pre-emptive steps have been initiated by W. Rly’s Railway Protection Force such as escorting of ladies special and AC special trains by women RPF staff, forming Sakhi WhatsApp groups of women commuters, deployment of women RPF and MSF staff in stations etc., have been taken by RPF in this regard.
Western Railway is the first railways in India as well as the first in the entire world to introduce the dedicated “Ladies’ Special” train in the Mumbai suburban section, way back in 1992, running 10 ladies specials at present. Further, Western Railway has added many more feathers to its cap such as CCTV cameras & talk-back system inside ladies’ coaches & Whatsapp Chat group – SAKHI for the security and aid of suburban women commuters. CCTV cameras have been installed in 137 ladies coaches i.e. 46 rakes of Western Railway, including AC local & UTTAM rake. Similarly, Talk Back System has been installed in 12 ladies coaches, i.e. 4 rakes, including AC local & UTTAM rake.
