Indian Railways Enhances Safety Measures for Festival Travel

New Delhi, October 24 (Daily Kiran) : In anticipation of the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals, Indian Railways has rolled out a comprehensive strategy to ensure the safety and smooth movement of passengers. An official statement released on Saturday highlighted discussions on crowd management and railway security during the eighth All India Conference of Government Railway Police (GRP) chiefs.

Organized by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), the high-level conference aimed to address emerging challenges in railway security, share best practices from various states, and strengthen coordination among the RPF, GRP, and state police.

The Northern Railway’s Delhi division presented its model for crowd control during festivals like Diwali and Chhath. This model includes a coordinated action plan involving Delhi Police, GRP, and Delhi Metro, along with measures such as CCTV surveillance, public announcements, barricading, designated waiting areas, and special control rooms.

The Ministry of Railways emphasized the need for advance planning, passenger flow management, and coordinated deployment of security forces to ensure a safe and organized travel experience.

Sonali Mishra, Director General of RPF, chaired the meeting, which included Satish Kumar, Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board, other board members, and GRP chiefs from various states and union territories.

A significant achievement from the meeting was linking GRP personnel to the Rail Help platform. This initiative, led by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), aims to enhance the resolution of passenger complaints, expedite information exchange, and improve complaint monitoring.

The conference also discussed several initiatives related to enhancing railway and passenger safety. The South Central Railway presented its “Pink Petrol: Eyes in the Sky, Strength on the Ground” model, which integrates drone-based surveillance with rapid response teams of female security personnel.

Officials identified stone-pelting incidents on trains as a serious challenge. They emphasized the need for increased patrols in sensitive areas, improved monitoring, strict action against offenders, awareness campaigns among youth, and enhanced coordination between RPF and GRP. The railway authorities believe that community awareness and preventive measures can play a crucial role in mitigating such incidents.

Additionally, the Central Railway’s Pune division shared details about Project Disha, a dedicated initiative focused on safety, harmony, and awareness. This project aims to engage children living near railway tracks through education, entertainment, safety awareness, and community activities.

Involving NGOs, National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers, and local communities, the project seeks to raise awareness about railway safety and discourage dangerous activities such as stone-pelting, theft, and unauthorized track crossings.

Given the anticipated increase in passenger numbers during the festive season, the Ministry of Railways asserts that this coordinated, technology-based security arrangement will significantly enhance the safety and convenience of train travel.