Southern Railway assures actions to ensure safety of passengers at stations

The Chennai division of the Southern Railway Friday said it has taken initiatives to ensure the safety and security of passengers on station premises in the wake of a complaint of alleged harassment of a woman here on January 5. The railway has sought details of all contract workers in railway stations and instructed the contractors to initiate police verification on the workers, a press release from the railway said. Also, the contractors have been asked to strictly ensure that the staff displayed their identity cards at all times, the statement said, adding that a compliance report has been sought by the railway from the contractors.

On January 5, the woman was robbed and harassed in a MRTS station allegedly by two lift operators working on contract and a commercial clerk. An FIR has been registered against the lift operators involved in the incident and they would not be hired under any contract in future, while the commercial clerk has been placed under suspension, the statement said. Moreover, legal action was being taken by the government railway police against all the three accused and the railway would ensure that the offenders were punished, it added.

(With inputs from agencies.)