Railway Police To Patrol Ladies Coach In Mumbai Trains

In response to recent incidents of sexual harassment on suburban trains in Mumbai, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has introduced measures to enhance the safety of women commuters, particularly during the night and early morning hours. Uniformed personnel from the GRP, Home Guards, Maharashtra Security Force, and Railway Protection Force (RPF) will be stationed in ladies' compartments between 9 pm and 6 am.

The Mumbai suburban train network, which covers Central, Western, Harbour, Trans-Harbour, and Belapur-Nerul-Kharkopar lines, operates 1,041 trains during the night. To ensure the safety of women passengers and prevent untoward incidents, the GRP will deploy 640 personnel on trains and over 600 on platforms. If women passengers do not find security personnel in the ladies' coaches, they can immediately contact the Railway helpline on 1512, reported Deccan Herald.

Since January 1, the GRP has received more than 1.58 lakh calls on the helpline, with 13,921 seeking assistance or providing information. The GRP has responded to every call and has registered 58 serious offences, solving 56 of the cases. Railway Police Commissioner Ravindra Shisve emphasized that the safety of women commuters is a top priority, and the GRP will ensure that no ladies compartment remains unattended. The GRP currently has an adequate number of personnel, and there are plans to increase their numbers in the near future.

Indian Railways Launches "Meri Saheli" Initiative

Indian Railways has introduced a commendable initiative called "Meri Saheli" to enhance the safety and security of women passengers throughout their entire train journey. This initiative aims to provide a safe travel experience for women from their originating station to their destination station.

As part of the initiative, a team of female officers and staff has been formed. This team will visit all passenger coaches, including the ladies' coaches, to identify women passengers. They will note down details such as coach number and seat number, particularly for women traveling alone. Passengers will be briefed about important security helpline numbers like RPF Security Helpline No. 182 and GRP Security Helpline No. 1512. They will also receive advice on precautions such as avoiding food from strangers and purchasing food only from authorized IRCTC stalls, as well as taking care of their luggage.

The team will encourage passengers to freely contact the train escort party or dial 182 in case of any emergency. The passenger details will be communicated to en route divisions and zones to ensure assistance and support until they reach their final destination. At the end of the journey, feedback will be collected from female passengers regarding their travel experience and the safety measures taken.

The "Meri Saheli" initiative was initially launched as a pilot project in the South Eastern Railway in September 2020. After receiving a positive response from women passengers, it has now been extended to all railway zones, as per a report in Livemint

The Western Railway zone has introduced this unique initiative in Train No. 12955 Mumbai Central - Jaipur Superfast Express and Train No. 02925 Bandra Terminus - Amritsar Special train.

The "Meri Saheli" initiative aims not only to provide safety and security to women passengers but also to ensure their mental peace and a comfortable and enjoyable travel experience. The Central Railway RPF has also implemented the "Meri Saheli" program in 24 special trains, which has received a significant and positive response. These trains include Mumbai-Nagpur-Mumbai Duranto Express, Godan Express, Gondia-Mumbai Special, Mumbai-Howrah Express, Pune-Patna Special, and others.

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