North-Eastern Railways To Install ‘Panic Button’ For Women Safety

The Indian Railways has decided to dedicate the year 2018 to women’s safety. The national transporter is taking several steps to ensure that women feel secure while travelling on trains. The latest initiative is by North-Eastern Railway (NER). NER is planning to deploy women personnel during night hours along with installing ‘panic buttons’ in its coaches. Sanjay Yadav, chief public relations officer of North Eastern Railway told news agency PTI that railway is also planning to recruit women in the RPF in Railway Police Force.

Also: Indian Railways Plans to Increase Women Security Staff

Keeping in view the increasing reports of mishaps women travellers have faced on the trains, railways have proposed to include ‘panic buttons’ in the coaches. These will be linked with the guard's coach.

Yadav emphasized, “These buttons, placed at convenient spots for easy reach of women travellers above the electric switches, when pressed will denote the coach where there is an emergency and the railway staff present in the train will be informed to promptly attend to the emergency.”

Till now, there has been no medium for instant communication in face of an emergency. This system will facilitate action on an immediate basis. Currently, female passengers have to depend either on helpline numbers or chain pulling in case of an untoward incident.

Also: Indian Railways to Install CCTV Cameras at 983 Stations

The railways will ensure that the coaches reserved for ladies are in a different colour. Also they plan to have women-only coaches in the middle of the train. Further, the coaches will have wire mesh installed in the windows.

Railways are also proposing to bring amendments in the Railways Act to ensure enhanced and strict punishment for offense relating to women. In the coming time, they are also planning to implement a month-wise calendar of activities, focusing primarily on women's safety. Railways also proposes to install CCTV Cameras on platforms and in women coaches. This year, the suburban railways in Mumbai launched an app ‘Eyewatch Railways’. It has an alert button elongated with cameras.

They are also planning to upgrade All-India security helpline.

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