Maligaon, March 21: Twenty three million passengers travel through the Indian Railways everyday out of which 20% i.e. about 4.6 million are women. In the recent past, the incidents of crime against women in trains and railway premises have been a major area of concern.
Therefore, the following steps as part of a focused effort across Indian Railways to collectively strive for safety of women passengers and to mitigate atrocities against women in railways, Guidelines issued by Indian Railways to All Zonal Railways and Production Units to prevent incidents of crime against women in trains and in railway premises.
The action plan should be classified in Short Term and Long Term Plan, Short Term plan should be implemented immediately from the existing resources on priority without any delay. It may include keeping watch on suspects, regular visit to vulnerable spots by duty officers and staff during their rounds.
However, Long Term Plan which may include improvement of Basis Infrastructure, CCTV, Light Masts, etc. which may take a reasonable time, should be chased with concerned authorities on regular basis and till such time it is completed, focus should be kept on temporary minor works that can be effective in improving the situation, which may be worked out and got implemented with bare minimum expenditure or with available resources.
Preventive measures to be adopted are ,proper lighting arrangements should be ensured covering all vulnerable places identified in Railway Stations, Circulating area, Parking, FOBs, approach roads, ends of platforms, Yards, Washing lines, DEMU / EMU Car sheds, Saloon Sidings, Maintenance depots, etc.
Sensitization of all railway employees and contractual staff may be done. Staff engaged in checking of rolling stocks, porters and hawkers/vendors should be encouraged to report the incident without loss of time to Police/ RPF or the Station Master. Help of NGOs may also be obtained for this purpose.
Though, the details of helpline numbers are printed on the reverse of train tickets, helpline numbers provided by railways should be widely publicized.People should be made aware of Pan India Emergency Response System and other important forum and calling facilities available for reporting offences and particularly offences against women in that area.
People should be made aware of “One Stop Centre (OSC) which is exclusively designed to provide integrated services such medical aid, police assistance, legal counselling / court case management, psychological, social counselling and temporary shelter to women affected by violence under one roof.
Proper advertisements educating the passengers should be published in various print, electronic and social media platforms.
Guidelines issued by Indian Railways advised All Zonal Railways and Production Units that these instructions are merely indicative and not exhaustive and acting proactively, field units may implement various other mechanisms to ensure safety of women depending upon local conditions and circumstances.
