Train Passengers Can Now File ‘Zero FIR’ During Journey; Security Personnel To Escort 100 Trains Under ECoR

By OB Bureau On Nov 10, 2020

Bhubaneswar: In order to ensure quick action and less harassment to the train passengers during journey, the Indian Railways has come up with a slew of measures including ‘zero FIR’.

The Railways will depute escorting security personnel, i.e., Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) on the trains on vulnerable and identified routes/sections to ensure safe and secure journey of the passengers, according to a release.

The Ministry of Railways has decided to provide an earmarked side lower berth (berth number 63 in S-1 Coach) in Sleeper Class Coach in important mail/express trains for GRP/RPF Staff. This facility is extended to one seat (berth number 01 in Coach Number C-4) in AC Chair Car Coach of Shatabdi Express and one berth in pantry car of Rajdhani Express.

Train Escorting RPF/GRP personnel have been provided with FIR Forms to assist passengers enroute without breaking their journey to lodge FIR. This will provide relief to the passengers as they will not have to cancel the journey to file the FIR.

Usually, the passengers have to get down midway to register a report of theft or other criminal incidents. The case is registered under zero head and then transferred to concerned GRPS on point of jurisdiction for further course of investigation. It often takes months to reach at jurisdictional GRPS.

Now there will be no such problems for travelling passengers as they can lodge FIR with escort party of GRP/RPF at their earmarked berths.

Total 100 Special trains under East Coast Railway (ECoR) jurisdiction will be escorted by security personnel. These include 25 regular Special Trains in UP directions and 26 in Down directions and 24 Festival Special Trains in UP directions and 25 in Down directions.

General Manager, ECoR Vidya Bhushan has also directed security officials at headquarters and divisions to ensure strict action against the anti-social and criminal activities on railway premises and during train journey.