A Child Protection Committee was formed at Chennai railway division to safeguard the rights of children arriving at the major railway stations.
The committee will function at the division and railway station levels. “The station master will be the nodal officer and it will comprise officers from Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP), ticket examiners and other railway officials,” said a senior RPF officer.
Railway porters, stall owners and members of autorickshaw unions near the station will be stakeholders and will be able to provide information about runaway kids, those who lose their way or are kidnapped.
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A children’s assistance centre with four cots and beds and other facilities will also be set up at a prominent location in Chennai Central Station soon.
To create awareness about the standard operating procedure for the Railways to ensure protection of children, a training programme was organised by an NGO called Railway Children on Tuesday.