Mumbai: GRP launches awareness programme for women travelling by local trains

Government Railway Police (GRP) has enhanced patrols in the women's compartments of Mumbai's suburban trains and introduced an initiative to raise commuter safety awareness.

The awareness programme was launched last week in light of the incident of sexual assault of a 20-year-old college student on board a moving suburban train in the early hours of June 14, the official said.

We have started the awareness programme for women commuters. We are informing them about the precautions they can take while travelling and the phone numbers they can call on in case of emergencies, said Sandip Bhajibhakre, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) GRP Western Railway.

The GRP has also increased police presence in the women's compartments and extended the duty hours on trains from 9 pm to 9 am from the earlier 9 pm to 6 am, he said.