nThe Indian Railways in order to prevent the incidents of crime against women in trains and its premises have taken several steps in recent years as part of a focused effort to collectively strive for safety of women passengers and to mitigate atrocities against women in railways.
Various guidelines or action plans issued by Indian Railways to all zonal railways and production units to prevent incidents of crime against women. As estimated twenty three (23) million passengers travel through the Indian Railways everyday out of which 20 per cent i.e. about 4.6 million are women.
“The action plan should be classified in short term and long term plan. Short term plans 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 include improvement of basic infrastructure, CCTV, light masts, etc,” the ministry said in a statement.
Among the preventive measures that need to be adopted including proper lighting arrangements should be ensured covering all vulnerable places identified in railway stations, circulating area, parking, approach roads, ends of platforms, yards and washing lines, etc, it said.
It has been noticed that generally cases of eve teasing, if remain unattended, lead to increase in incidents of molestation or assault on women. As a measure to prevent such crimes, GRP/RPF officials shall promptly take necessary action on receiving complaints regarding any type of ‘Crime against women’.
The Ministry further said that CCTV surveillance systems should be used effectively. “Time to time audit of the cameras installed and the area covered by them should be done. It should be ensured that all the persons visiting the Railway Platform/ Passenger area are caught on the cameras,” it said.
The vulnerable places identified for such crime should mandatorily be covered under the CCTV surveillance, it added.