After revamp, the Government Railway Police (GRP) State Control and Command Centre, which caters to the entire State, became more victim-friendly with reduced response time in order to curb the crime incidents with railway passengers. Earlier, commuters used to make numerous complaints about GRP helpline number not being accessible. However, after the upgradation it has become more receptive to commuter complaints. Not only this, now daily phone calls are being made from the command centre to the GRPs of other states from where trains pass from the Madhya Pradesh. The purpose behind these phone calls is to obtain information from them regarding complaint or FIR of any incident related to Madhya Pradesh. If any, then the distressed passenger is immediately contacted by the control room staff, assured of every possible help followed by proper action.

Mahendra Singh Sikarwar, IG, GRP Madhya Pradesh said, “It is very difficult for the police to catch the accused involved in crimes inside the moving train. In this both the passenger and criminals belonged to different places. Passengers come to know about the incidents happened with them while the train moves ahead from Madhya Pradesh and reaches to the railway station of other states. In such a situation, a complaint or FIR is lodged by them there. Sometimes it takes one or two months for case diaries to come from GRP of other states to GRP of Madhya Pradesh. In such a situation it’s difficult to catch the culprit.

Due to delay in action, the passenger also gets upset. Keeping these aspects in mind, the GRP State Control and Command Centre has upgraded the system. Now, GRP personnel of other states are being contacted over phone daily by the control room staff. Information is taken from them whether there has been any incident with any passenger in the train while it passes from Madhya Pradesh. Has any complaint or FIR been lodged by him/her? If yes, then the command centre informs the GRP personnel of railway station concerned and provide complete details of victim passenger, he added. The details of inter-state criminals is also shared from the command centre to the GRPs of other states which helps GRP personnel in making a record of criminals. This shows what sort of crimes are being committed by which gang. In such a situation, it is easy for the police to track and nab the miscreants.