Suburban trains are the primary mode of transport connecting many suburbs with the city.
But, there are hardly any arrangements to ensure the safety of hundreds of commuters who board trains from suburban railway stations.
Friday’s brutal murder has left several passengers questioning the safety arrangements in many stations. A commute between St. Thomas Mount and Guduvanchery revealed that there were no CCTV cameras at stations, except for Tambaram.
The situation in the western suburbs between Villivakkam and Avadi is no different, with minimal staff members to handle any emergency.
While Villivakkam railway station has police patrolling during morning and evening hours, passengers feel that more patrolling was necessary. “Many stations have multiple entry and exit points, and safety of women commuters, especially during the night, is a concern. Antisocial elements roam at many stations beyond St. Thomas Mount,” V. Subramani of Madipakkam, said.
“Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP)must increase patrolling to prevent misuse of stations for antisocial activities in stations beyond Perungalathur,” said R.A. Mugundhan, treasurer, Perungalathur-Paranur Rail Passengers Association.
Commuters in many city suburbs have to wait for the railway police to arrive from another place if a crime is reported.
However, RPF officials in southern suburbs said two teams comprising 10 staff members patrolled EMU trains regularly, apart from Special Task Force teams.
In Tambaram, there are 26 CCTV cameras and two of them are not functioning.
Many stations have multiple entry and exit points, and safety of women commuters is a concern.
V. Subramani, Madipakkam
