Chennai: Complaints of poor security in stations

Chennai: While RPF personnel are deployed to patrol inside the trains to ensure the safety of the passengers, most of the stations in the city are left guard less.
 Though both Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) are in charge of security, they fail to deploy personnel in stations that fall prey to anti-social activities at night.

“We have 19 railway stations between Beach and Tambaram and at least 12 police personnel patrol in a day. On Thursday, nine cops patrolled in the stations of this stretch. We have a joint patrol mechanism and from this Monday, the city police will also join RPF and GRP and will move in a group of one plus eight. From 5 pm they will patrol till the last train reaches its destination,” said Dr P. Vijaykumar, superintendent of railway police.

According to an official from city police, on Thursday, from Tambaram to Chengelpet only five RPF personnel have been deployed—three for Tambaram, one for Singaperumal Koil and another for Guduvanchery. Urapakkam, Perungalathur, and Kattankulathur that are devoid of proper illumination are completely abandoned by the police.

“Urapakkam station is far from the main road and tipplers occupying the premises after eight and pass lewd comments. Last week at around 10 pm, three men groped my friend and there was nobody to complain in the premises,” said 20-year-old Divya Sharma, adding that there is an abandoned platform in the station is also used for anti-social activities.

The problem does not even spare the prime stretch from Tambaram to Chennai Beach. Only one person is deployed in the GRP from Palavanthangal to Tirusulam. Despite several complaints, Meenambakkam remains one of the most dangerous stations. Commuters say they could spot the police only in Palavanthangal station.

When a resident of Meenambakkam, Rajeshwari R. complained earlier last month about poor police patrol in Meenambakkam, the authorities deployed RPF personnel right away. However, he was nowhere to be seen after a week.

Though officials claim that one policeman is present at Chetpet railway station, passengers say they never came across one.

As the station does not have a compound wall, it invites intoxicated locals on its platform after 10 pm. There have been many cases where they created a nuisance by getting on the train. Passengers say the stretches from Beach to Arakkonam and MMC to Arakkonam are worse. Perambur Carriage, Vyasarpadi, Pattaravakkam and PTMS are some of the stations devoid of lighting, washrooms and most importantly police patrol. The offices at stations are shut in the early evenings.

Installation of CCTVs at snail’s pace

The installation of 16 CCTV cameras at Nungambakkam, which began in the last week of May, has not picked up pace with underground cable laying not having started yet. RailTel, a public sector undertaking, has planned the video surveillance system (VSS) at major stations across India. Nungambakkam railway station is also being covered and officials in RailTel said that the work is expected to be finished by July.  

"Wiring work is going on. We plan to finish work by July. For laying cables underneath, we will need to cut the platform area. Wiring, concrete work, installation of cameras, will be followed by trial testing," said a source in RailTel.

According to officials, the aim was to complete the installation of cameras by June but depending on the pace and the beginning of rains, it seems that it will be completed by July. "I have not seen any work here. Materials brought for installation have been dumped in the room near the station," said a person frequenting Nungambakkam railway station.

The installation of CCTV cameras at Nungambakkam is the first project being done in Railways across India using the Nirbhaya fund. The decision was taken following the murder of a 24-year-old techie, Swathi last year in June in broad daylight at Nungambakkam station.