Chennai: With RPF facing resource constraints, that are minimal compared to previous years, it is essential for the state police and Government Railway Police (GRP) to work with RPF to ensure security at railway premises, S.C. Parhi, IG & chief security commissioner, RPF, Southern Railway, said here on Wednesday.
The RPF has a strength of 4,200 personnel in Southern Division.
Chennai division has 1,700 personnel, of which 1,200 work on the field and perform duties like patrolling stations, escorting trains and manning entry and exit points at stations like Chennai Central and Chennai Egmore.
Addressing a press conference, Parhi said, “After the Nungambakkam incident, we wrote to the DG asking for an immediate allocation of additional RPSF (Railway Protection Special Force) strength as an immediate measure to cover more stations.” The strength of RPF at stations is based on the number of footfalls, vulnerability and past criminal incidents.
“We are not only depending on our men in the field. Through CCTVs that will be installed in 136 stations by 2016 end, we would be monitoring the stations in real-time and informing RPF men near the premises,” he said.
Speaking about lack of resources for manning every station, RPF sources said that big stations such as Central and Egmore require more manpower, and personnel are needed on a shift basis round-the-clock. So, it is not practically possible to cover every station with a RPF personnel. “We have to balance the patrolling of trains and providing safety on running trains, for which we are looking forward to additional force to assist RPF. We have sent proposals to higher authorities,” he said.
Nearly 130 women staff in different ranks have been sanctioned to form ‘Mahila Vahini,’ recruitment for which will be held shortly. Currently, RPF includes 178 women and 20 RPSF women staff.
He said in the past six months, besides helping in the rehabilitation of 121 destitutes aboard trains and rescue of 301 runaway children, RPF helped prosecute 54,498 offenders.
Under the Integrated Security System, 14 stations in Southern Division have been covered. At a cost of Rs 67.94 crores under the Nirbhaya fund, CCTVs will be installed at 136 stations. Besides, the railways have introduced ‘182’ help line number in Southern Division for security issues that can handle three calls at the same time.
