RPF helping the shramiks for safe and secure travel.
Central Railway’s Railway Protection Force is battling Coronavirus Pandemic leading from the front in every aspect of social outreach & prevention. RPF personnel standing shoulder to shoulder with the Railway authorities was responsible for the safe transportation of migrant workers , sensitised people not to walk on tracks thus averting accidents, providing help and food to thousands, sanitizer and special masks to combat Covi-19 with the help of their family, arrested touts indulged in unfair practises in booking of special trains. In all they stood as warriors in the battle against the Coronavirus Pandemic, the National Crisis.
Central Railway carried more than 5 lakh migrant workers and stranded persons through more than 380 Shramik special trains so far. More than 1,500 RPF personnel have been deployed to escort these trains, oversee wearing of masks, strict adherence of social distancing between the passengers while boarding and inside the trains.
The highly motivated Railway Protection Force Personnel obliging to the call of duty, understanding the Nation’s need, guide the passengers, helped women and children, interacted with them, counselled them to take preventive measures and enabled them to have a safe journey. Many migrants were moved emotionally with thankfulness to the kind gesture of the RPF personnel as they left by shramik special trains.
Besides all these, Central Railway RPF’s human & practical approach without diluting any safety & social security aspect has immensely contributed to Indian Railway’s Social Outreach. RPF staff also helped number of passengers with medicines enroute by passing information to the divisional control rooms for providing railway doctor at next station. Approximately 1,000 RPF personnel are deployed daily in each shift for bandobast at stations over Central Railway and also to provide food, masks to needy passengers, contractual workers etc.
Central Railway RPF has so far provided a total of 30,957 meals from voluntary contribution to needy persons/passengers, besides 6,496 meals provided to destitute, stranded passengers, contractual labourers, coolies etc.
In these testing times, some of the RPF personnel and their family members displayed exemplary commitment beyond call of their duty in making innovative face masks, face shields in pursuit of supplementing Central Railway’s efforts to fight the pandemic and save RPF personnel from the coronavirus. As on date, as many as 13,919 face masks made of cloth, 1,522 face shields cover, and 434 Shildow Masks attached cover, have been made by these warriors.
As Indian Railways has started 15 pairs of AC Special trains from 12th May,2020 and announced 100 pairs of additional trains w.e.f. 1 June 2020, complaints had started to pour in regarding touting of e-tickets using multiple personal IDs and cornering reserved berths in these special trains. Central Railway RPF as part of the concerted nationwide efforts to identify and act against these touts conducted a special drive at various PRS counters over Central Railway. RPF officials using the analysis of PRS data through PRABAL module clubbed with ground intelligence registered three cases and arrested 1 person with seizure of 149 past journey tickets valued Rs. 3,04,410/- and produced before the Railway Court.
During such crisis, the challenge for leadership is to keep the morale of the force high and preparing them to face it bravely. Central Railway officials leading from the front taking regular stock of the situation on ground, obtaining feedback about the health of RPF personnel and their family members, rendering help whenever needed and boosting their morale with frequent talks through mobile phones, web enabled services, webinars etc.
All these were possible, due to the meticulous planning at the advent of covid-19, beginning with a video conference with all divisional in-charge.
They did manpower mobilization and worked out a security management plan understanding the need of the hour along with strict insistence on hygiene and sanitization measures amongst entire rank and file of this esteemed security force. Truly the services of CR RPF during this National Crisis will be etched ever in the memory of many including the Poor & Stranded Passengers.