GRP seeks 1,500 more home guards for ladies’ coaches

The Government Railway Police (GRP) has written to the Commandant General, Home Guards, seeking at least 1,500 more home guards to man all local train services, especially women’s compartments, in the night

MUMBAI: The Government Railway Police (GRP) has written to the Commandant General, Home Guards, seeking at least 1,500 more home guards to man all local train services, especially women’s compartments, in the night. The GRP will also launch an awareness campaign on helpline number 1512 at railway stations on Tuesday.

GRP seeks 1,500 more home guards for ladies’ coaches

The demand for additional home guards was made after Neelam Gorhe, deputy chairperson of legislative council, in a meeting on women’s safety on local trains, instructed the GRP to provide QR codes in ladies’ compartments to ensure that policemen or home guards are present in the coaches, and use Nirbhaya Fund to be made available to the GRP to meet the shortage of security guards.

BK Upadhyay, Director General of Home Guards, said that they will provide the requested number of home guards to the GRP. “Around 2,000 home guards have been allotted to assist the GRP, but due to rains and ongoing police recruitment exams, at present only 1,000 home guards are assigned duties with the GRP.

Currently, the GRP, which is responsible for the safety of rail passengers and entrusted with guarding coaches and platforms, has a sanctioned strength of 4,163 personnel, who cater to over 85 lakh commuters across 177 stations after their jurisdiction was extended to stations as far as Kasara, Ratnagiri and Dahanu. There are 3,100 services of local trains throughout the day and each train has at least three ladies’ compartments, where policemen or home guards are required to be posted.

GRP commissioner Ravindra Shisve said that they have also written to the government to provide 436 Maharashtra Security Force (MSF) personnels in case Home Guards do not turn up for the day. “Our DCPs have travelled in the night in the trains to understand the system of guards,” Shisve added.

“If the guards are absent or not attentive, I request commuters to complain and I will rectify it myself without giving excuses,” Shisve said.

Speaking on the GRP campaign, Sandeep Bhajibhakare, deputy commissioner of police (GRP) (western), said that the announcements scheduled to start from Tuesday would be mostly to create awareness amongst women commuters about the GRP helpline number 1512 and reassure them that they can call the GRP any time and ensure help will arrive at the next station.

He added that apart from setting up WhatsApp groups with women commuters and updating the numbers of the guards on local trains, the announcements would also suggest the women to board ladies’ compartments at both ends of trains or some general compartment, if they do not spot any guard in the middle compartment.

“We have instructed three guards to be present in the three ladies’ compartments of each train after 8pm and if in case one guard is absent due to unforeseen reason, the other two guards have been instructed to be present in the compartment on either ends of the train,” Bhajibhakare added.

Meanwhile, Madhu Kotian, president of Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh, said that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that women are protected. “Asking them to change compartments is not fair,” Kotian said.

For years, Kotian has been demanding the authorities to experiment with combining two ladies’ compartments at night with the middle coach, which would mean that instead of three guards in one train, they would need two. “If a criminal enters the general compartment and attacks a woman, no one will dare help her, so asking women to change compartments is not useful,” Kotian added.

According to the GRP data, molestation cases in 2022 increased when compared to 2021, making it a point of concern for the GRP. In 2021, 50 molestation cases were reported across the city and the MMR, which increased to 92 in 2022. The recent rape case of a woman on board a CSMT-bound train at 7am a few weeks ago and molestation of a woman between Mumbai Central and Grant Road stations days ago have brought the issue of women’s safety on local trains to the fore.