CR’s measures to keep women safe are welcome

Representation Pic

In a welcome move, Central Railway (CR) recently announced a series of robust measures to enhance the security of women commuters. Some initiatives are the deployment of female Railway Protection Force personnel to various platforms to attend to ladies' coaches of arriving trains. No unauthorised individuals, including male passengers, enter ladies' coaches.

An Emergency Talk Back (ETB) system is being installed in 645 ladies' coaches of Mumbai local trains. This ensures immediate communication during emergencies. Tech also involves surveillance with 3,817 CCTV cameras installed at vulnerable locations across 80 railway stations in the Mumbai division.

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Then, other efforts like special helplines, awareness programmes about how women can take recourse for security in trains and collaboration with law enforcement so that critical information regarding women's safety is shared with the GRP and city police for necessary action at each level.

All these and other measures are surely a shot in the arm towards ensuring women's safety on platforms and in trains. We have heard and read about heinous crimes in public transport, so it is absolutely important that unauthorised people do not have access to women-only compartments. The heavy rush and crowded spaces mean there is a danger of molestation. For women commuting at late hours or very early in the morning, near empty compartments can also be dangerous.

A holistic approach, like this one, to safety and security is vital. It takes care of all aspects from helplines, to technology, awareness for women and factors in law and order too. As Mumbaikars, we pride ourselves in having some of the safest commuting arms for women. We need to ensure that there is constant evolution on the safety front too, complaints are heeded and loopholes, if any, fixed.