Lok Sabha Question No. 253 (STARRED), answered on 2020-03-11
Subject: Safety of Women Passengers
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, Vijay Kumar Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 253

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.03.2020

## SAFETY OF WOMEN PASSENGERS

## *253.  SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

- SHRI VIJAY KUMAR DUBEY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways Act provides for earmarking of accommodation  for  female  passengers  in  trains  and  if  so,  the details of accommodation earmarked for them;
- (b) whether there is very less number of ladies' compartments in various trains running on important routes in the country despite increase in the number of cases of rape and assault on women, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c)  whether the Government deputes/proposes to depute Railway Protection  Force  in  ladies'  compartments  for  the  security  of women passengers and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government is running ladies special EMU/MEMU/MMTS services on the suburban sections of  Mumbai, Kolkata,  Secunderabad  and  Chennai  as  well  as  on  the  DelhiNational  Capital  Region  (NCR)  sections  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (e) other steps taken by the Government to increase the number of ladies' compartments/coaches to ensure adequate safety of women passengers in trains?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (e):   A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. ******

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (e)  OF STARRED QUESTION NO.253 BY SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE AND SHRI VIJAY KUMAR DUBEY TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 11.03.2020 REGARDING SAFETY OF WOMEN PASSENGERS.

- (a) &  (b):  Section  58  of  the  Railways  Act,  1989  provides  for earmarking  of  accommodation  for  female  passengers  in  trains. Accordingly,  in  trains  carrying  passengers,  Indian  Railways  have earmarked following accommodation for female passengers:
- I. 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  airconditioned Express trains for female passengers irrespective of their age travelling alone or in a group of female passengers.
- A  combined 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)  for  senior citizens,  female  passengers  45  years  of  age  and  above  and
- II. pregnant women.
- III. Second class accommodation for women in the second Classcum-Luggage-cum  Guard's  Coach  (SLR)  in  most  of  the  longdistance trains.
- IV. Unreserved  coaches/compartments  for  female  passengers  in EMU (Electrical Multiple Unit)/DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit)/MMTS(Multi Modal  Transport  System)  trains &  local passenger trains  depending  upon  demand  pattern  as  well  as availability of accommodation.

- V. Running  of  ladies  special  EMU/MEMU/MMTS  services  on  the suburban  sections  of  Mumbai,  Kolkata,  Secunderabad  and Chennai as well as on the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) sections.

Review of accommodation  is a continuous and ongoing process  subject  to  demand  pattern,  feasibility  and  availability  of accommodation. There has been a continuous increase in accommodation earmarked for ladies in the past five years. During financial year 2018-19, the accommodation earmarked under various reservation quotas for ladies was 2.96 crore as compared to 1.18  crore  in    2014-15  constituting  an  increase  of  approximately 152% over the last five years. In the current Financial year 2019-20 (upto  December  2019)  approximately  2.57  crore  berths  have  been earmarked for ladies under various reservation quotas.

Policing  on  Railways  being  a  State  subject,  prevention  of crime, registration of cases, their investigation and maintenance of law & order in Railway premises as well as on running trains are the statutory  responsibility  of  the  State  Governments,  which  they discharge through Government Railway Police (GRP)/District Police. Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP to provide  better  protection  and  security  to  passenger  area  and passengers  and  for  matters  connected  therewith.  Cases  of  Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes in Railways are registered and investigated by the concerned Government  Railway Police. Whenever  any information about status of crime on Railways is sought, State GRP is requested to provide the information. Based on the data provided by Government Railway Police Stations, there is decrease in cases of  rape  and  assault  on  women  passengers  in  trains  registered during the year 2019 as compared to the previous year i.e. 2018.

(c): Based  on the vulnerability of section, threat perception, prevailing crime situation and availability of staff, RPF staff including women RPF personnel are deployed in trains.

(d): In addition to earmarking of coaches in sub-urban EMU services, Indian Railways is also operating 62 full/partial Ladies Special trains on the sub-urban sectors of  Mumbai, Kolkata,  Secunderabad, Chennai.    Such  services  are  also  being  operated  in  the  DelhiNational Capital Region (NCR).

(e): Earmarking of accommodation for female passengers in trains, its review based on demand pattern and provision of other facilities for their safe and comfortable journey is a continuous and ongoing exercise. However, in addition to the accommodation earmarked for female passengers as mentioned in reply to part(a), following other major  steps  have  been  taken  by  Indian  Railways  (some  in  coordination  with  Government  Railway  Police)  to  ensure  safe  & comfortable journey of female passengers:-

- I. On  vulnerable  and  identified  routes/sections,  2500  trains  (on an average) are escorted by Railway Protection Force daily in addition to 2200 trains escorted by Government Railway Police of different States daily.
- II. Security Help Line number 182 is made operational over Indian Railways  for  security  related  assistance  to  passengers  in distress.
- III. Through various social media platforms viz. twitter, facebook etc., Railways are in regular touch with passengers including women to enhance security of passengers and to address their security concern.

...4/-

- IV. Drives  are  conducted  against  entry  of  male  passengers  into compartments  reserved  for  women  passengers  and  persons apprehended are prosecuted as per law.
- V. 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 extra vigil on the lady passengers travelling alone, ladies coaches en-route and at halting stations.
- VI. Surveillance  is  kept  through  Close  Circuit  Television(CCTV) cameras, provided at about 453 stations over Indian Railways, to ensure safety and security of passengers.
- VII. An Integrated Security System (ISS) consisting of surveillance of vulnerable stations through CCTV, Access Control etc. has been sanctioned to improve surveillance mechanism over 202 railway stations.
- VIII. All Railway Stations and passenger carrying trains are planned to  be  progressively  provided  with  CCTV  based  surveillance system.
- IX. Frequent  announcements  are  made  through  Public  Address System  to  educate  passengers  to  take  precautions  against theft, snatching, drugging etc.
- X. Regular coordination is made  with  the State Police/GRP authorities at all levels for prevention of crime, registration of cases, their investigation and maintenance of law & order in Railway premises as well as on running trains.
- XI. CCTV  have  been provided in Humsafar and Tejas train services. These are being proliferated further in other coaches in  a  phased  manner  on  Indian  Railways  (IR)  to  improve security of passengers, including women passengers

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