Mumbai: The Bombay High Court today issued a
notice to Railway Board, New Delhi, asking it what decision it
has taken on a proposal sent by the Central Railway, seeking
sanction of over 2,600 additional posts for the Railway
Protection Force (RPF).
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice
Ranjana Desai was hearing a suo-moto (on their own) PIL, based
on a newspaper report which alleged that the Government
Railway Police (GRP) had refused to register the complaint of
a 25-year-old woman, who was molested in a local train in the
wee hours of June 19.
An affidavit filed by Anil Sharma, Inspector General and
Security Commissioner of RPF, stated that a proposal for
creation of 2,638 posts was forwarded to the Railway Board in
September 2010 is still pending. The board had sanctioned only
225 posts.
"The proposal for 2,638 posts includes 1,632 posts for
Mumbai division which would look after security of lady
commuters in trains. At present 1,185 posts are lying vacant
in RPF for which recruitment is on," the affidavit said.
The bench, while issuing notice to the railway board, has
sought its reply on the pending proposal by September 16.
The court has also directed both RPF and GRP to advertise
their helpline numbers not only in compartments but also in
newspapers and channels.
According to the affidavit filed by deputy secretary S R
Chavan of Home department, 232 policemen are deployed in the
ladies compartment in the night for security and an additional
100 officials are required to be recruited.
PTI
