Centre issues guidelines to prevent crime against women in trains, railway premises

New Delhi: Indian Railways issued detailed guidelines to prevent incidents of crime against women in trains and on railway premises on Saturday (March 20). The guidelines include an action plan, preventive measures, sensitization, surveillance over the identified vulnerable area, notice for passengers and special measures.

Guidelines also advise Zonal Railways and Production Units that acting proactively they may implement various other mechanisms to ensure the safety of women depending upon local conditions and circumstances.

Twenty-three million passengers travel through the Indian Railways every day out of which 20 per cent i.e. about 4.6 million are women. In the recent past, the incidents of crime against women in trains and railway premises have been a major area of concern. 

Action plan:

The action plan should be classified in Short Term & Long Term Plan. Short Term plan should be implemented immediately from the existing resources on priority without any delay. It may include keeping watch on suspects, a regular visit to vulnerable spots by duty officers & staff during their rounds. However, Long Term Plan which may include improvement of Basis Infrastructure, CCTV, Light Masts, etc. which may take a reasonable time, should be chased with concerned authorities on a regular basis and till such time it is completed, the focus should be kept on temporary minor works that can be effective in improving the situation, which may be worked out and got implemented with bare minimum expenditure or with available resources.

In addition to it, the Indian Railways plan focuses on the waiting rooms. These waiting rooms must not remain unattended and persons should be allowed to enter the waiting rooms after proper entry, particularly at nights and at times when there is the minimum presence of passengers.

No railway staff without proper identity cards should be allowed on trains and railway premises. The prevention plan also includes barring the entry of people without proper identity cards in the yards and coaching depots.

The notification also said that the Railway is providing free internet services to the passengers. It should be ensured in coordination with the service providers that the porn sites are not accessible through this service.

Special drives may be launched to apprehend and prosecute persons consuming alcohol in railway stations and trains, the notification added.