Lok Sabha Question No. 4604 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-29
Subject: Vacant Posts in RPF
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: M V V Satyanarayana, Sanjay(Kaka) Ramchandra Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4604 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.03.2023

## VACANT POSTS IN RPF

4604. SHRI M.V.V. SATYANARAYANA: SHRI SANJAY KAKA PATIL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  attacks  on  trains  leading  to  derailment  or otherwise during the last five years;
- (b) the number of vacant posts in Railway Protection Force (RPF) at present;
- (c) the time by which these vacancies are expected to be filled and the reasons for the delay;
- (d) whether the RPF is expected to use their manpower not only to facilitate smooth movement of passengers but to curb crime and process the mandatory legal provisions and proceedings of the Railway Act;
- (e) if so, whether the RPF is overburdened; and
- (f) if  so,  the  steps  being  taken  to  ensure  that  the  RPF  is  able  to function efficiently in heavy loaded posts?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4604 BY SHRI M.V.V. SATYANARAYANA AND SHRI SANJAY KAKA PATIL TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 29.03.2023 REGARDING VACANT POSTS IN RPF

(a): 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India and, as such, State Governments are responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime and maintaining law and order etc. on  Railways through their law enforcement agencies  viz.  Government  Railway  Police  (GRP)/District  Police.    However, Railway  Protection  Force  (RPF)  supplements  the  efforts  of  GRP/District Police  to  provide  better  protection  and  security  of  passenger  area  and passengers and for matters connected therewith.

Based on the data provided by GRP/ Police  Stations,  the  number  of  cases registered in cases of attacks/sabotages on trains leading to derailment or otherwise during the last 5 years i.e. 2018 to 2022 are as under :-

| Year   | Number of cases registered for attacks/sabotages on trains   | Number of cases registered for attacks/sabotages on trains   |
|--------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|        | Leading to derailment                                        | Not leading to derailment                                    |
| 2018   | 4                                                            | 79                                                           |
| 2019   | 0                                                            | 66                                                           |
| 2020   | 0                                                            | 45                                                           |
| 2021   | 4                                                            | 55                                                           |
| 2022   | 1                                                            | 80                                                           |

- (b)  &  (c):  Total  number  of  vacant  posts  of  Railway  Protection  Force (RPF)/Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) personnel as on 01.01.2023 is 8817.

Arising of vacancies is an ongoing process due to retirements, promotions, deaths, resignations, etc. and the same  are filled up through open recruitments and departmental promotions as per the existing rules.

(d): RPF is mandated to protect and safeguard railway property, passenger area and passengers, to remove any obstruction in the movement of railway property or passenger area and to do any other act conducive to the better protection and security of railway property, passenger area and passengers which is ensured by the legal empowerment to RPF under Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act 1966 (RP(UP) Act), Railway Protection Force Act 1957, Railways Act 1989, Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985, The Cigrattes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement  and  Regulation  of  Trade  and  Commerce  Production,  Supply and  Distribution)  Act,  2003.  In  addition,  RPF  takes  action  on  immediate responder  against  cases  of  human  trafficking  through  railways,  rescue  of children  found  in  need  of  care  and  protection  in  contact  with  railways, action against transportation of illegal/ contraband item, providing assistance to the needy among others.

(e)  &  (f):  The  deployment  and  working  conditions  of  RPF  personnel  are dynamic in nature and reviewed on regular basis and based on such review, rationalization  of  existing  staff  strength  is  made  for  optimum  utilization  of manpower and reasonable distribution of workload for providing security to railways and its customers.

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