A week ago, when Vishwanath Biwalkar sent an email to the Ministry of Railways suggesting a new service, little did he know that the response would be prompt — and positive. The proposal was for a service called Rail Mitra, in which volunteers are to aid the Railways in their day-to-day work.
Rail Mitra, a concept by a railway activist organisation called Eagle Brigade, is aimed at creating a team of volunteers to assist Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) in ensuring commuters have a safe travel. After Vishwanath sent the proposal, he received a response on May 3 from the official of public grievances department, who believed the idea could be implemented.
“I received a call from one of the senior officials of the public grievances department of Railways in Delhi. He said they liked my idea and would inform me of developments,” said Vishwanath. The concept includes supporting railway authorities during times of crises such as railway shutdown or signal failure, infrastructural issues in railways, creating awareness to protect railway property and promoting a cordial relationship between railway passengers and authorities.
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The project also aims at making station-wise committees, which will send monthly reports to departments concerned about action needed in their areas. Anant Swarup, Director, Public Grievances Department, confirmed the development. “Yes, we had spoken to the Eagle Brigade. We have passed this proposal on to the Central Railways, Mumbai, and expect a green signal to implement it soon.”
A similar concept had been initiated by the RPF eight years ago, in which chosen volunteers act as informers to help the force curb crime. When asked what would differentiate a Rail Mitra from them, Biwalkar said, “Rail Mitras will be the go-to people for any petty issues in Railways. They will be present at stations 24×7 to make sure people’s grievances are dealt with.” The concept is based on the model of ‘Police Mitra’, where volunteers help the city police maintain law and order. Vishwanath said before appointing a person as Rail Mitra, their background will be scanned to ensure they have no criminal record.
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Mumbai activist proposes Rail Mitras, Rlys promises to take it forward
Source: Indian Express