CHENNAI: Crimes against women in trains and railway stations are far from unusual in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala that come under the Southern Railway. However, it seems the Union government does not mind the issue while allocating funds to establish women safety facilities in the trains and stations.
In the railway budget that has been merged with Union budget, the Southern Railway has been sanctioned a mere '2,000 to install CCTV cameras in 48,889 coaches and video surveillance systems at 1,109 railway stations in these two states during 2018-19. This is out of the total '1,794 crore allocated for the projects that come under the Nirbhaya funds.
Social activists are baffled at the poor allocation for these installations, vitally important to ensure women’s safety during train travel, during 2018-19.
A sum of '255.14 crore is estimated for installing video surveillance systems at 1,109 railway stations. But what baffled activists is the thing that both the projects were accorded '1,000 each for the whole financial year 2018-19.
M. Andrew Sesuraj, child rights activist, said that the allocations show the priority of the government. “Like education and health sectors, the safety of women and children is also not on the priority list. It is already obvious that government has been diverting funds allotted to women safety,” Andrew Sesuraj said.
Meanwhile, the railway board has sanctioned '1.71 crore to the Southern Railway to create integrated security system (7 stations) in 2018-19. The total capital sanction was '30.50 crore. Also, to carry out the project in Chennai Metropolitan Area, the railway ministry has sanctioned Rs 86 lakh for next fiscal.
On the infrastructure front, the Southern Railway also received another blow from the ministry. The zonal railway, which has started doubling works in three lines to provide faster connectivity in southern districts, has also suffered a setback as the railway ministry has sanctioned '250 crore against the total project cost of '3,616 crore.
The projects, Madurai - Thoothukudi doubling, Vanchi Maniyachi - Tirunelveli - Thoothukudi doubling and Kanniyakumari - Thiruvananthapuram doubling commenced on January 23. Minister of state (Railways) Rajen Gohain had laid foundations for the projects.
Despite receiving paltry allocations, GM R.K. Kulshrestha said that the railway ministry has sanctioned sufficient funds to carry out the various projects.
It may be noted that the Southern Railway has been allotted '3,471 crore. The share of Tamil Nadu stands at '2,548 crore.
“The government should allocate more funds to create a protective environment for the women and children travelling in the trains,” Andrew Sesuraj
urged.
