BHUBANESWAR: A special all-women team of railway personnel, Subhadra Vahini, formed by Bhubaneswar RPF to assist women passengers facing inconveniences has detected 1,056 cases under Railways Act in the last two years. While the squad members have escorted 533 trains in 2018 and 2019 to ensure safety of women passengers, they have prosecuted 754 male passengers for travelling illegally in ladies compartments and detected 77 chain pulling incidents.
IIC of Bhubaneswar RPF K Sethi said the team has escorted women passengers boarding trains from the Capital to Puri, Berhampur, Bhadrak, Angul and others. Many mail/express trains including Bhubaneswar-Balangir Intercity, Prasanti Express, Konark Express, Visakha Express and others have dedicated compartments for women. But often, they are forced to share this space with intruders - men who enter these coaches illegally. In order to check the practice, the squad has conducted surprise raids in such trains and prosecuted 754 male passengers for travelling in ladies compartments under section 162 of the Act, he added. Women passengers can dial the toll-free number 182 to seek assistance from Subhadra Vahini and report their grievances.
In a bid to boost security, the Principal Chief Security Commissioner of East Coast Railway (ECoR) had directed the Bhubaneswar Railway Protection Force to form the special all-women team. Subhadra Vahini, named after Goddess Subhadra, consists of one sub-inspector, two head constables and four constables of the RPF.“The primary aim of the squad is to strengthen women’s security in railway premises and on trains. It’s members are making all attempts to provide security to the women and children,” said Sethi.
Subhadra Vahini has also conducted 23 awareness programmes on the railway station to sensitise women passengers on safety-related issues. They also sensitised slum dwellers staying near the railway station urging them not to defecate along the tracks. The team helps in escorting elderly passengers on wheelchairs into their trains.
Report card
533 trains escorted in last two years
754 cases of male passengers travelling in ladies coaches detected
77 chain pulling incidents
23 awareness programmes organised