Lok Sabha Question No. 1442 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-27
Subject: Safety of Women
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Bheemrao Baswanthrao Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1442 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.11.2019

## SAFETY OF WOMEN

1442. SHRI B.B. PATIL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)      whether  the  Government  has  taken  adequate  steps  for  ensuring safety and security of women passengers;
- (b)     if so, the details thereof along with the impact of the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (c) the other measures which are being contemplated by the Government for the safety of women in trains?

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

- (a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1442 BY SHRI B.B. PATIL TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 27.11.2019 REGARDING SAFETY OF WOMEN

(a) to (c): 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.  However,  Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP to provide better protection and security of passenger area & passengers. Cases of Indian Penal  Code  (IPC)  crime  in  Railways  are  registered  and  investigated  by the concerned Government Railway Police. However, following measures are  being  taken  by  the  Railways  in  coordination  with  Government Railway  Police  to  ensure  security  of  passengers  including  women passengers:-

1. On  vulnerable  and  identified  routes/sections,  2200  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.
2. Security  Help  Line  number  182  is  made  operational  (24X7)  over Indian  Railways  for  security  related  assistance  to  passengers  in distress.
3. 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. Drives are conducted against entry of male passengers into compartments reserved for women passengers and persons apprehended are prosecuted under section 162 of the Railways Act, 1989. During the years 2018 & 2019 (upto October), a total of 139422 &  83157  male  passengers  respectively  have  been  prosecuted  for unauthorized  entry/travel  in  compartments  reserved  for  women passengers.

5. 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  enroute and at halting stations.
6. Frequent announcements are made through Public Address System to educate passengers to take precautions against theft, snatching, drugging etc.
7. 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.
8. An  Integrated  Security  System  (ISS)  consisting  of  surveillance  of vulnerable stations through Close Circuit Television Camera Network,  Access  Control  etc.  has  been  sanctioned  to  improve surveillance mechanism over 202 railway stations.
9. In order to increase representation of women in RPF to the level of 10%,  4517  out  of  9739  vacancies  notified  in  the  year  2018  were notified for women. In this recruitment, 4376 women RPF personnel have been empanelled.
10. CCTV cameras have been installed at 501 Railway stations and in 2019 coaches. There is a provision for installation of CCTV cameras at 6124 Railway stations and in 58276 coaches. Work for installation of  CCTV  at  6124  stations  and  7020  coaches  is  targeted  to  be completed by March-2021 (Phase-1).
11. Emergency Talk Back system and Closed Circuit Television Surveillance Cameras have been provided in all newly manufactured Electrical  Multiple  Unit  (EMU),  Main  line  Electrical  Multiple  Unit (MEMU) coaches and Air conditioned rakes of Kolkata Metro. This system  is  also being  provided  in  all  newly  manufactured  airconditioned EMU rakes and underslung MEMU rakes. Railways have already provided Emergency Talk Back system and CCTV in ladies compartments/coaches of existing 12 EMU rakes and 150 EMU/MEMU rakes respectively. Further, flasher lights are also being provided in ladies coaches in 15 nos. of EMU rakes in South Eastern Railway.  When  the  alarm  chain  of  the  coach  will  be  pulled,  these lights will start blinking and buzzer will start sounding till resetting of alarm chain.

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