Now, talkback mics on Western Railway for women commuters

The system was earlier installed only in one train

Women travelling on local trains will soon be able to talk to the motorman or guard in case of an emergency. All women's compartments on the Western Railway will be equipped with talkback mics in the next three months. WR had introduced the system on one train last year. The system will be installed on all trains at a cost of Rs 8 crore.

"We have decided to install emergency talkback mics in all women's compartments, so that women in danger can alert the motorman or guard. All trains will have them in the next three months. The system was tried and tested only on a few trains," Western Railway General Manager AK Gupta told mid-day.

Heavy penalty for misuse
Asked if there was a chance the mics could be misused, given the way commuters treat public utilities, Gupta said he could rule that out, but it did not mean that the facility should not be provided. "Why deny the facility to everyone only because a handful might misuse it? Also, there will be a heavy penalty for misuse to discourage it. The system will be of immense benefit in case of emergencies," he added.

Gupta said the system was in addition to the CCTV cameras that are being installed in the women's compartments. However, the installation of cameras will take time; the talkback system will be ready first.

Another security measure
The talkback mic system was another security measure introduced by WR last year on the occasion of International Women's Day. In this system, a two-way communication is established between a commuter and guard of the train in the event of an emergency, by pressing a button on the unit. This benefits women passengers, especially during any exigencies such as security or medical issues. The system is a regular feature in the four-coach Mumbai Metro trains and is present next to almost every alternate doorway.

Rs 8 crore
The cost at which the system will be installed in all WR trains

Also Read: Mumbai: WR installs canopies to shelter waiting commuters at Mahalaxmi station

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