Chennai: Stations that witness more crowds and considered vulnerable will have an additional 150 Railway Police Special Force (RPSF) personnel deployed as part of the enhanced security arrangement.
“During all hours, teams of three RPF personnel, of which two will be armed, will patrol 25 stations, including all suburban stations from Chennai Beach to Tambaram,” said a senior RPF official.
Apart from suburban stations from Chennai Beach to Tambaram, stations such as Guduvanchery, Perungalathur, Potheri, Kattangulathur, Ponneri, Minjur, and Indira Nagar, Velachery and Mylapore on MRTS will have additional forces.
These personnel will be available during peak hours, from 4.30 am to 11.30 am and 4 pm to 11 pm which see most passenger flow, including working women.
Additionally, there are 30 RPSF women constables are posted in ladies compartments. “Four hours in the morning and evening peak hours, 11 teams of 33 lady constables escort women passenger coaches on 88 suburban train services daily,” said the official.
The official added that Chennai currently sees 468 rail services and RPF is doing escort duty on 88 services with the available manpower. Women commuters have noticed the change and feel more comfortable travelling at odd hours because of the presence of men in uniform at stations.
“I have seen women constables at stations like Park and Chetpet where I never sensed being secure during odd hours. Now, it feels better while commuting as transgenders begging on trains also keep away after seeing police constables aboard the ladies coach,” said M. Anupriya. CCTV cameras are to be installed at 87 stations across Chennai division. The work will begin in September, according to security officials.
