Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, March 20 (EMN): Indian Railways on Saturday issued a detailed set of guidelines to step up its security and prevent the incidents of crime against women in trains and in areas which fall under the Indian Railways property.
The guidelines include an action plan, preventive measures, sensitisation, surveillance over the identified vulnerable area, notice for passengers and special measures.
The ministry stated that around 4.6 million women passengers travel by Indian Railways daily and in the recent past, the incidents of crime against women in trains and railway premises have been a major area of concern, according to a PIB report.
It said that 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:
- 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.
- Abandoned structures in platforms/yards, abandoned quarters, buildings at isolated places which remain unguarded/ unattended should be demolished immediately in consultation with engineering department. Till such time that they are demolished, they should be regularly checked as part of the beat of on duty staff especially during night time or period when the presence of people is minimal.
- Unauthorised entries/ exits should be closed.
- Yards / pits/ nearby railway area of stations must be kept clean of unwanted vegetation which may provide cover for concealment. View cutters such as these may offer opportunity to offenders to commit crime. Waiting rooms should not remain unattended and persons should be allowed to enter the waiting rooms after proper entry, particularly in nights and at times when there is minimum presence of passengers. It should be cross checked by the duty officer at odd hours.
- Proper police verification and identity cards of staff engaged on contractual basis engaged in services related to passengers should be ensured as per SOP and GCC. No staff without Identity Cards may be allowed in trains and railway premises.
