Railways to deploy women personnel, install panic buttons in trains
North Eastern Railways (NER) to deploy women personnel on trains during night hours to strengthen women security. It also plans to install "panic buttons" in coaches that would be linked with guard coach. Currently, women depend on helpline numbers, SMS, or on chain pulling in an emergency situation. Railways also proposed color-coded coaches for women for easy identification, wire mesh in windows. Here's more.
Panic buttons will be placed at convenient spots for easy reach of women travelers above the electric switches. "When pressed, they will denote the coach where there is emergency and the railway staff present in the train will be informed to promptly attend to the emergency," Chief PRO of NER, Sanjay Yadav said. Panic button likely to start by this year-end, he added.
Railways also proposed a month-wise calendar of activities with focus on women security and gender sensitization and up-gradation of all-India security helpline. It also proposes CCTV cameras in women coaches of suburban trains with live feed if possible, CCTV cameras on platforms to cover ladies coaches during the halt of trains, an amendment in Railways Act to ensure enhanced punishment for offenses pertaining to women.
