Just days after the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court directed railway officials to ensure safety of passengers on board, the Union Home Ministry and ministry of railways are considering the proposals of installing CCTV cameras in each compartment, creating railways policewomen force and allowing passengers to file on-line first information reports (FIRs) of a crime taken place in any train.Firstpost
Currently, Railway Protection Force (RPF) carries FIR forms, but passengers have to either break their journey to lodge an FIR or complain only on reaching their destination. But the Railways Ministry now plans on changing that and is likely to allow victims' to register their FIR on board without disturbing their journey.
In a conference of DGPs of state police, organised of by the security directorate of ministry of railways as a part of a concerted drive to prevent crime on railways and improve the safety and security of passengers and property, railways minister Suresh Prabhu said that Railways is already working on installing CCTVs in passenger coaches to keep an eye on untoward criminal activity and that they were trying to use ex-army personnel in security issues. He said that there is also a need to find a mechanism for immediate evacuation and shifting of injured persons from railway premises to hospitals. Referring to the growing number of accidents at unmanned level crossings, Prabhu sought help of State law and order machinery to come up with innovative ideas to reduce such tragic train incidents like use of home guard or any other institution.
Prabhu also sought support of all chief ministers in providing a foolproof and seamless security system for railways that binds them with each other and adds to their growth.
