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Journalism of Courage
When T R Baalu MP and Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee of suburban train travel of Indian Railways boarded a second-class womens compartment on a Harbour line local at Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus Tuesday,little did he know of the kind of welcome that was in store for him. Women commuters angrily spoke of the poor security and infrastructure on the Harbour line. They pointed out the unsafe travel conditions,with drug addicts,beggars encroaching on the womens compartment daily. Baalu asked railway officers to put their heads together and find out a way to improve the situation.
Women commuters spoke of the recent spate of attacks on women – from the July 27 attack where a 23-year-old nurse was molested in a local train between Mahalaxmi and Lower Parel,the August 18 incident where a 28-year-old American national was attacked by a drug addict between Marine Lines and Charni Road and on September 5,when 43-year-old Aarti Gholapkar succumbed to her injuries after she was hit and pulled off a running train with an iron hook by Harish Rathod between Ghansoli and Rabale station.
Baalu is heading the committee examining suburban train travel with special emphasis on security of women passengers,following which a report will be submitted before the Parliament.
The MP started his journey at 3 pm from CSTs ticket booking counter reserved for women commuters. He then boarded the womens compartment of a Harbour line local from platform number 2. When Baalu enquired about the travel conditions,an angry commuter shot back saying,Compartments on Harbour line are as good as scrap. To add to this,unauthorised hawkers,drug addicts and beggars encroach on women compartments. We have been under repeated attack from drug addicts. There is no security provided to us and we are under constant attack.
Baalu reviewed the security arrangements later at CST. A railway officer said,While enquiring about the luggage scanner,the MP said each and every bag should be checked through luggage scanner instead of the sampling system used now.
Baalu also visited the Integrated Security System centre and the Train Management System (TMS) facility at the station. In the evening,Baalu held a review meeting with officials at Central and Western Railways.
priyal.dave@expressindia.com
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