Railways have undertaken awareness campaigns to educate rail users regarding safety of women and essential travel-related behaviour and practices.
As part of its pan-India ‘Operation Mahila Suraksha’, the Railway Police Force rescued 150 women and girls from becoming the victims of human trafficking.
Over 7,000 persons were arrested for traveling in coaches reserved for women.
Train escort duties with mixed composition of men and women police personnel were also widely deployed during this period, a press release said, acceding that mixed escort duties commenced recently are getting a positive feedback.
The press release also said that the railways also organised 5,742 awareness campaigns to educate rail users regarding safety of women and essential travel-related behaviour and practices.
“Railway Protection Force (RPF) and frontline railway staff are relentlessly working to ensure safe and secure travel of women over the Indian railways,” the release said. “Dedicated to this objective of women security, a pan India drive ‘Operation Mahila Suraksha’ was launched from 3 to 31 May 2022.
Another initiative, ‘Meri Saheli’ involves 1,125 women railway police personnel as part of 283 teams deployed across the Indian railways daily. These policewomen have interacted with more than 2,25,000 women during the ‘Operation Mahila Suraksha’ drive, providing them with end to end security covering 223 railway stations.
During the month long operation, there were 10 instances of women slipping while boarding or de-boarding moving trains, all of whom were saved by railway police personnel, while risking their own lives.
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