Govt says 50% seats in RPF reserved for women, CCTV cameras in all major trains
PATNA/ARA: In a major step towards ensuring the safety of women passengers, Union railway minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday announced reserving 50% seats for women Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel recruitment. The railways has initiated the process for recruiting about 10,000 RPF personnel.
Goyal laid the foundation stones for, and inaugurated, various railway facilities at different functions held in Patna and Ara on Sunday.
The minister also announced that all 6,000 railway stations across the country and important trains will soon be brought under the surveillance of the close circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
He said the process for installation of CCTV cameras would be launched soon.
At Ara, Goyal laid the foundation for several development projects, including electrification of 97-km-long Ara-Sasaram rail line. The project, worth Rs 91.29 crore, will help the railways increase speed of trains on this route and reduce traffic loan on Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay-Patna and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay-Gaya rail routes, said Goyal.
Attending the commencement of construction of a foot overbridge at Ara, Karisath, Koelwar and Kulhariya stations, the minister announced stoppage of Kumbha Express (Howrah-Haridwar express) at Ara station.
Applauding the local MP and minister of state for power (independent charge), RK Singh, for actively participating in the development of the area, the railway minister said, “RK Singh ne jina haram kar diya hai (R K Singh has made life miserable as he always remains proactive for his area). Now, due to the double engine, there will be more development in Bihar.”
The railways has announced vacancies for about 1.25 lakh posts in different categories, he added.
Singh said, currently, development projects Ara included expanding circulating area of Ara railway station premises, facility of escalator, lift and washing pit.
Union minister for state for health Ashwini Kumar Choubey, deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, MP of Sasaram Chedi Paswan and others addressed the function. GM of east central railway LC Trivedi, DRM of Danapur rail division Ranjan Prakash Thakur and others were present on the occasion.