Trains In Karnataka To Have All-Women RPF Teams: Complaints To Be tracked On WhatsApp, Act Swiftly

To have enhanced safety for women who travel in trains in Karnataka, a 15-member all-women Railway Protection Force (RPF) team will travel in different trains. The new task force is aptly named Shakthi and complaints will be handled in real-time from women passengers, The Indian Express reports.

Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF Bangalore Division, Debasmita Banerjee, said, “Real-time tracking of issues related to women passengers is made possible via WhatsApp groups which include Shakthi teams comprising RPF officers, lady representatives from daily passenger trains and frequent travellers on the route.”

Banerjee added “Concerns will be addressed promptly and perpetrators can be caught and prosecuted without much delay as we can now get faster responses.”

Since this inception team Shakthi, in the last week of June, more than 25 men have been arrested under section 162 of the Railway Act for trespassing into women-only coaches.

The Shakthi team will be operational on 22 trains on the Bengaluru-Mysuru route and soon extend services to trains on Bengaluru-Bangarapet routes.