Following the murder of Infosys engineer Swathi inside the Nungambakkam Railway station, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has deployed an additional strength of 150 personnel to guard the railway stations in Chennai and its suburbs.
After Swathi’s murder, the RPF and Government Railway Police (GRP) came under fire for the poor security system on the station premises.
However RPF sources claimed that they were not able to provide security to many stations due to manpower shortage. As on date there are 1,700 personnel in Chennai. Apart from providing security to nearly 80 stations in the city and suburbs many are deployed for office work too.
Each major station will have at least two armed RPF constables. “They will function in two shifts — 4.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Some of the stations they will guard include Nungambakkam, Kodambakkam, Perambur, Ambattur, Minjur, Ponneri, Meenambakkam, Tambaram and Kattankulathur,” added the officer.
However RPF personnel felt that facilities should be improved in all the stations. “The Railways should illuminate the approach roads — this will also benefit passengers,” said an RPF constable.
