Rlys to train staff to deal with vulnerable children on its premises

Railways will now hold workshops for its staff to teach them ways to deal with vulnerable children they come in contact with on trains and stations.

According to a circular issued by the Railway Board today, the first such workshop will be held here for officials of the Delhi Division of Northern Railways on August 16 in collaboration with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

The workshops are a part of the Railways' campaign to increase awareness among its staffers to ensure care and protection of vulnerable children on trains and stations, the circular issued to all zonal general managers said.

The workshops will be held in six centres - Delhi, Mumbai, Secunderabad, Kolkata, Guwahati and Varanasi.

The objective is to train officials ways to deal with issues and concerns of vulnerable children who are found on Railway premises, the circular said.

Nearly 200 officials are expected to attend each workshop, which would be conducted by personnel assigned by the NCPCR as well as relevant state commissions.

According to data, around 35,000 children, who had either left home on their own or were trafficked, were rescued from railway stations or trains in the last four years.

In Delhi alone, 820 trafficked kids were rescued from railway stations between January and May this year.