New Delhi, October 24 — The Government Railway Police (GRP) Chiefs deliberated, among other things, on crowd management during Diwali, Chhath and other festivals to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement during peak festive periods, according to an official statement cited by IANS on Saturday. The 8th All India Conference of Government Railway Police (GRP) Chiefs, convened by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), provided a platform for discussing emerging security challenges, sharing best practices and strengthening coordination among RPF, GRP and State Police. The Ministry of Railways' release said the conference concluded in New Delhi on October 23.

Source: IANS via IANSLive

The high-level conference was presided over by Director General, RPF, Sonali Mishra, and attended by Chairman and CEO, Railway Board, Satish Kumar, members of the Railway Board, and GRP chiefs from various States and Union Territories, the statement said. 'Emphasis was laid on advance planning, efficient passenger-flow management and coordinated deployment of security personnel to ensure safe and orderly passenger movement during peak periods,' the Railways Ministry said.

Source: IANS via IANSLive

8thEdition of the All India Conference of GRP Chiefs, convened by the RPF
3 forcesRPF, GRP and State Police coordination at the centre of the conference
2 models showcasedSouth Central Railway's 'Pink Patrol' and Central Railway Pune Division's Project DISHA

Northern Railway's Delhi Division highlighted coordinated efforts with Delhi Police, GRP and Delhi Metro authorities, supported by CCTV surveillance, public announcements, barricading, designated holding areas and dedicated control rooms, IANS reported. A key highlight was the onboarding of GRP personnel onto the RailMadad platform by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), aimed at improving passenger grievance redressal, timely information sharing, and complaint monitoring.

Source: IANS via IANSLive

South Central Railway's 'Pink Patrol: Eyes in the Sky, SHAKTI on the Ground' showcased a women-led model integrating drone-assisted surveillance with rapid-response teams under the SHAKTI framework, the statement said. Stone-pelting on trains was highlighted as a challenge, with emphasis on hotspot-based patrolling, enhanced surveillance, strict action against offenders, youth outreach and stronger RPF-GRP coordination, and community awareness and preventive engagement were recognised as important deterrents.

Source: IANS via IANSLive

Central Railway's Pune Division highlighted Project DISHA (Dedicated Initiative for Safety, Harmony & Awareness), aimed at engaging children living near railway tracks through educational and recreational activities, safety awareness sessions and community-based interventions with NGOs, National Service Scheme volunteers and local communities, to discourage stone-pelting, theft, trespassing and other unsafe practices, the Railways release said. Deliberations also covered joint RPF-GRP training, sabotage prevention, prompt information-sharing on narcotics detection, digital evidence handling and intelligence-sharing, and the conference concluded with the DG/RPF emphasising intelligence-led policing to strengthen railway security.

Source: Ministry of Railways / PIB release via India Education Diary