RailEnquiry

PUNE: The helpline for women commuters introduced by the railway authorities here receives around 10 to 12 complaints every month. The most common complaints are about men and beggars travelling illegally in compartments reserved for women.The central railway introduced the 24X7 helpline about three years ago to make daily commutes of women passengers safe and secure. Authorities here said that most complaints have come from women commuters who travel in local trains on the Pune-Lonavla route and those who travel in Mumbai bound trains."We generally receive complaints if men, beggars or eunuchs step in the ladies'/women compartment in local trains. Women call on the dedicated mobile number---9503013705---to register their complaints. Once the complaint is received, we immediately ask the on-duty railway police force (RPF) staff to attend to the coach at the immediate next station and try to track down the persons involved in creating nuisance in the ladies compartment," said an RPF official.An official pointed out that apart from men entering the ladies' compartments, the helpline also receives complaints about touting and passing of comments by young men when the train is passing through a station. However, the percentage of such complaints is very low, said an official.

The RPF has deployed its staff at all prominent stations on the Pune-Lonavla section. Besides, the staff has been asked to travel in local trains during rush hours to avoid incidents of teasing women commuters.

"College boys pass remarks and taunt women at stations. Eunuchs often enter ladies' compartments and demand money," said Pinki Shah, a regular commuter on the Pune-Lonavla stretch. Shah said that the police and RPF should deploy women constables in the ladies' compartments during night hours to restrict entry of beggars and men.

Dnyanada Nilekar, who often travels on Mumbai-bound trains said, "As the general compartments always remain overcrowded, additional ladies' compartments are a must at least on Pune-Mumbai track."

An official from Pune railway division said that there was a plan to form a squad that would make continuous rounds of Pune-Lonavla and Pune-Daund sections during rush hours. He added that additional RPF personnel would be deployed at stations that will register more complaints of teasing.