Kudos to Bibek Debroy for writing the column, "Policing the railways" (November 11), on the Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF). A detailed analysis of the two forces in the column is bound to help railway passengers understand who is protecting them and what powers they have that they might not be aware of.
It is about time that the duties of the GRP and the RPF are accorded publicity on trains and at railway stations, ticket reservation counters, railway hospitals, railway schools, railway training centres and running rooms. A toll-free number should be set up and this displayed in every compartment of major trains so that in case of theft or an emergency distressed passengers may seek assistance on this number.
We need to honour the GRP and RPF officials, who risk their lives to save those of train passengers, on Republic Day and Independence Day in district or state capitals. Their exemplary service should be covered in the print and digital media as well as in the Indian Railways' monthly on-board train magazine, Rail Bandhu.
N K Bakshi, Ahmedabad
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