Mysore/Mysuru: The  Railway Protection Force (RPF), Mysuru Division, South Western Railways (SWR), as per the directives of Director General,  RPF, has launched “Meri Saheli” initiative for focused action on security of women across the division with an objective to provide safety and security to lady passengers travelling by trains for their entire journey from starting station to destination station. 

This initiative entails interaction with lady passengers, especially those travelling alone, by a team of young lady Railway Protection Force personnel at the originating station. These lady passengers are briefed about all precautions to be taken during the journey and are advised to dial 182 in case they face or see any problem in the coach. 

The Railway Protection Force team collects the seat numbers of the lady passengers and conveys them to RPF station stoppages en-route. The platform duty Railway Protection Force personnel at the stopping stations en-route keep unobtrusive watch over the concerned coaches and berths and if need arises, interact with the lady passengers. RPF/RPSF escort onboard also covers all the coaches and identified berths during its duty period. 

RPF teams at the destination collect feedback from the identified lady passengers. The feedback is then analysed and corrective action, if any, is taken. If some distress call comes from a train covered under “Meri Saheli” initiative, the disposal of the call is monitored at the level of senior officers, according to a press release from SWR, Mysuru.