RPF dissolves its 50-year-old escort team to destress staff

Railway Protection Force (RPF) has disbanded the 50year-old escort team that provided security onboard long-distance trains. This decision taken last week would provide respite to personnel from the infamous “graveyard shifts”.

The new plan says the onus of providing escort to long-distance trains would now lie on the concerned RPF outpost situated at every railway terminal.

“The new plan is being executed to destress night escort team personnel. This is being done by bringing structural changes within the escort duty,” said Sachin Bhalode, senior Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF, central railway.

Long-distance trains originate from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Dadar, Kurla and Panvel on central railway. There are RPF outposts (police stations) situated at each of these stations.

“The new plan states that the senior officers at these outposts would be responsible for assigning escorts which was otherwise planned by the RPF headquarter. This will help in better co-ordination and rotation of the escort personnel,” said the RPF officer.

As per preliminary estimates of Central Railways, the new plan would also help in saving at least 30% of total current expenditure which is given out as the travelling allowance of the escorts.“We are in the process of calculating the exact amount of allowances which would be saved by them,” said an RPF official.The earlier team of 200 RPF officials were separately carved out mainly for escort duties. This caused them hardships as it was at least a five-year-long deputation.

"They used to report at Mulund at around 6pm and would report to their respective railway terminals after taking their weapons. The personnel of Mumbai RPF escort trains till Pune and Nashik,” said a RPF official. This team would only report to night escort duties without any rotation. This affected their health and output. “The long hours of duty took a toll on their health as their work was monotonous and it gave them a feeling of punishment posting,” said an RPF official.

New plan says onus of providing escort to long-distance trains would now lie on concerned RPF outpost