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The long-drawn tussle between States and Railways over “policing” on the latter’s premises could end soon.
The Ministry of Railways is ready with a proposal that would see Government Railway Police (GRP), which is under the administrative control of State Governments, conceding to Railway Protection Force (RPF) the powers to register case, arrest the culprit and investigate acts of crime on “railway premises”.
Under existing laws, prevention and detection of crime in trains are the responsibility of State Governments, which discharge their duties through a separate wing of State police - GRP. The Railways contribute 50 per cent of the total cost incurred on GRP and supplements its efforts through the RPF, which directly functions under the Ministry's control.
As of now, the RPF only has the power to detain any person involved in passenger related crime on running trains or on platforms and are required to hand them over to state police.
"With the Cabinet giving its approval to the Railways proposal to amend the RPF act, the GRP would be used for peripheral duty. They would be phased out, eventually, over a period of time," said a senior Railway officer privy to the proposal.
Both the Law and the Home Ministries have agreed to the changes suggested by Railways and a related proposal is now ready to be sent to the Cabinet for its approval. "After Cabinet's nod, a bill would be introduced in the next session of Parliament," the officer added.
The "unified command" to deal with passenger related offence is aimed at the "existing overlapping" that happens because of the state police also operating on the same territory.
There are 7083 railway stations of the Indian Railways while GRP Thana or Chowkies are functioning from 1051 railway stations. However, each Thana/Chowki has a number of stations in its jurisdiction.
Sources admit that phasing out GRP would take some time and would require addressing some technicalities, besides strengthening of the RPF. More than 10,000 RPF posts are vacant as of now.
The Ministry of Railways is ready with a proposal that would see Government Railway Police (GRP), which is under the administrative control of State Governments, conceding to Railway Protection Force (RPF) the powers to register case, arrest the culprit and investigate acts of crime on “railway premises”.
Under existing laws, prevention and detection of crime in trains are the responsibility of State Governments, which discharge their duties through a separate wing of State police - GRP. The Railways contribute 50 per cent of the total cost incurred on GRP and supplements its efforts through the RPF, which directly functions under the Ministry's control.
As of now, the RPF only has the power to detain any person involved in passenger related crime on running trains or on platforms and are required to hand them over to state police.
"With the Cabinet giving its approval to the Railways proposal to amend the RPF act, the GRP would be used for peripheral duty. They would be phased out, eventually, over a period of time," said a senior Railway officer privy to the proposal.
Both the Law and the Home Ministries have agreed to the changes suggested by Railways and a related proposal is now ready to be sent to the Cabinet for its approval. "After Cabinet's nod, a bill would be introduced in the next session of Parliament," the officer added.
The "unified command" to deal with passenger related offence is aimed at the "existing overlapping" that happens because of the state police also operating on the same territory.
There are 7083 railway stations of the Indian Railways while GRP Thana or Chowkies are functioning from 1051 railway stations. However, each Thana/Chowki has a number of stations in its jurisdiction.
Sources admit that phasing out GRP would take some time and would require addressing some technicalities, besides strengthening of the RPF. More than 10,000 RPF posts are vacant as of now.
