Indian Railways committed to provide better accommodation to female passengers: Minister

New Delhi [India], December 17 : Indian Railways has taken many steps to provide better accommodation to female passengers in long route trains, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday.
The minister said that a reservation quota of six berths in sleeper class in long distance Mail/Express trains and a reservation quota of six berths in 3AC class of Garib Rath/Rajdhani/Duronto/fully air-conditioned Express trains have been earmarked for female passengers irrespective of their age travelling alone or in a group of female passengers.
Also, combined reservation quota of six to seven lower berths per coach in Sleeper class, four to five lower berths per coach each in Air Conditioned 3 tier (3AC) and three to four lower berths per coach in Air Conditioned 2 tier (2AC) classes (depending on the number of coaches of that class in the train) has been earmarked for senior citizens, female passengers 45 years of age and above and pregnant women, he further answered.
Talking about the safety and security measures for women passengers, the minister replied that 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, however, Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP/District Police to provide better protection and security of passenger.
Apart from these measures, some more steps are also being taken by the Railways in coordination with GRP for the safety and security of passengers including women passengers in trains and at stations, the minister said.
A Pan-India initiative "Meri Saheli" was launched by RPF last year on October 17, 2020, with the objective to provide enhanced safety and security to lady passengers travelling by trains for their entire journey i.e. from the originating station to destination station, he added.
The focus is to provide security to lady passengers especially those travelling alone and to instil a sense of security in them. Teams of lady officers and staff have been formed who are well trained and briefed about the objective.
The minister further stated that on vulnerable and identified routes/sections, trains are escorted by Railway Protection Force in addition to trains escorted by Government Railway Police of different States, daily.
In addition, Railway Help Line number 139 is operational (24x7) over Indian Railways for security-related assistance to passengers in distress.
With this, through various social media platforms i.e. Twitter, Facebook etc., Railways are in regular touch with passengers including women to enhance the security of passengers and to address their security concerns.
Frequent announcements are made through Public Address System to educate passengers to take precautions against theft, snatching, drugging etc.
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 an extra vigil on the lady passengers travelling alone, ladies coaches en-route and at halting stations.
To ensure safety, Drives are conducted against entry of male passengers into the compartments reserved for ladies. CCTV cameras have been provided in 4934 coaches and 838 Railway stations for enhancing the security of passengers.
State Level Security Committee of Railways (SLSCR) have also been constituted for all States and Union Territories under the Chairmanship of respective Director General of Police/Commissioner of States/Union Territories for regular monitoring and review of security arrangements of the Railways.
The minister also informed that an emergency talk back system and closed-circuit television surveillance cameras have been provided in ladies compartments/coaches of all newly manufactured Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) and Air-conditioned rakes of Kolkata Metro.