Maharashtra home minister R.R. Patil on Tuesday admitted that over 60 per cent of the women compartments in local trains do not have police security due to the lack of manpower.
“In Mumbai’s suburban trains, 574 compartments, out of the total 936 reserved for women commuters do not have railway police security. It becomes difficult to ensure the security of women in local trains and at railway stations,” said Mr Patil, while talking to reporters at his office in Mantralaya on
Tuesday. He said that he had informed Union railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge on August 1, 2013 and demanded the sanctioning of additional RPF staff to prevent molestation cases in the local trains.
Incidents of eve-teasing and assault have increased in Mumbai, particularly in the local trains. State home minister had recently given orders to the railway police commissioner to take strict action against miscreants. Mr Patil further said that he has written a letter to the Union railway minister regarding the appointments. Railway police commissioner Prabhat Kumar had sent a proposal to the chairman of the railway board on May 27, 2013 asking them to deploy an additional RPF staff in railway stations.
Mr Patil said, “It is the railway ministry’s responsibility to ensure the security of commuters. They have to provide sufficient security staff.”