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| Courtesy RPF |
Every Rail traveler would have come across these uniformed straight talking Railway Personnel, the RPF. Some of them straightaway come to you and ask you to open your baggage. Some others come to just confirm from you that the bags lying underneath belong to you etc. etc.. I too had such experiences with them. But I also had some other types of memorable unexpected encounters with them which are worth sharing.
It was when I was returning from my Bandra Kurla Office in Mumbai. I was at Kurla Station. I had to catch a train on the platform next to the platform where I was standing. Since there was no time and no other train was approaching the railway line between these two platforms, I decided to take a quickie and jumped on the railway line and ran to climb up the other platform. As I was not quite used to such adventures, I was finding it difficult. There I got help. A very strong person stretched his hand to help. In one jerk he lifted me to the platform. I was delighted. But my happiness soon disappeared when he gave me a bill of Rs.250/-. He told me Sir, I am from RPF. He was carrying prepared vouchers so that Mumbai Passengers' time is saved.
Another beautiful morning during my days of weekly commuting to Ahmeabad from Mumbai, I got down in front of Mahalaxmi Station. Mahalaxmi Station comes just before Mumbai Central which is the destination of my trains. In fact I had taken a flat near Mahalaxmi Station so that for my weekly train travel I could walk to Mumbai Central while going and while returning, get down if possible when the train slows down at Mahalaxmi and walk back home. On that side there is no platform. When the train slows down commuters get down and walk east or west depending upon which side they were to go. I was on my routine. But that day someone was watching me to disturb my routine. He was just putting on his shirt when he saw me and ran to catch hold of me. I was coming towards him. So I asked him what was his problem and why was he running. He said "you cannot get down there. Come inside we have to prepare a case. This attracts heavy penalty". I told him "but why were you running, I was not running away". He smiled and said "this is our routine job". I asked him politely to tell me about the case preparation and how heavy is the penalty?.
He escorted me to his cabin below the staircase and asked me to take a chair. He then put his RPF uniform shirt on the chair. Both half sleeves were flapping under the fan which was struggling against Iron Oxide. There was a peculiar music in the cabin. I am a Musician. Immediately my mind ran to fit that music to "Ye Desh he Veer Javano Ka..Albelon ka Mastano Ka, Is Desh Ka Yaar Kya Kehna..". He took out a white sheet of Paper, those 8 and half inches by 13 inches, legal size. He started his job "Your name please?". I asked him "did you have your morning cup of tea". Still serious about his job, with full seriousness he said "Nahin". I told him " I am very fond of tea. In the morning the first thing I do is take a cup of tea. Is it not possible that we first have a cup of tea than sit down for business? Your and my routine will also not be disturbed." With mutual consent we had tea. The hot cup of tea was a good ice-breaker. It broke the ice. He learned from me that this was my routine weekly exercise. I told him "we will meet every Monday here if you continue to be in this office". I also told him that it was nice meeting him. He said "you appear to be a gentleman" and advised me not to get down like this on wrong sides and on the tracks. "If educated people do this way then what use is this education and to whom do we talk to, to follow rules?. Apart from it becoming bad examples to others it puts your life at risk". He asked me to promise that I would never ever get down there in this way. I promised and bid good bye to him. I thanked profusely and told him that I had to hurry to take bath, change clothes and get ready for 8.30 local from Byculla. He smiled and waved me to hurry.
That day I came to know that these uniformed staff posses the powers to teach you a lesson if you do not conduct properly. But what is very perplexing is that despite the presence of such a huge contingent of these paramilitary personnel so many encroachments and unlawful activities are done on rail corridors, so much damages are done to rail property and all of these culprits go unpunished.
I have come to know that RPF was formed in 1872 originally during British times for Watch and Ward duties of Railways. This was christened as RPF since 1957. Now, it has been reported to have been renamed as Indian Railway Protection Force Service. The Parent Agency of Railway Protection Force is Government Railway Police (GRP). RPF is to coordinate with the State Police through the GRP. The main objectives of RPF are :
- to protect and safeguard railway property and to combat crime against it.
- to remove any obstruction in the movement of railway property and to perform other functions of an armed force of the Union.
- to facilitate passenger-travel and security by removing all anti-social elements from trains, railway premises and passenger area.
- to remain vigilant to prevent trafficking in women and children and to take appropriate action to rehabilitate destitute children.
If RPF is authorised to act like armed force of the Union and bring discipline, I really wonder why are they handicapped to deal with encroachments, and illegal activities in the Railway Property. Recently DRM of Bengaluru had shown a video ( See below in Important Recent Happenings in Railfail) of how putting stones on the railway tracks could lead to derailment. That means danger to lives of citizens and loss to National Property. The RPF renamed as Indian Railway Protection Force Service has a huge task to deliver. They are the Army of Railways. I shall deal with another agency some other time, the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) who are tirelessly working for development of Railway Property. I wish RLDA work in tandem with RPF, our Army of Railways and help improve the Rail Corridors to make them the best in the Planet. Good Luck.
Important Recent Happenings in Railfail
india’s first vertical lift rail bridge: Watch: Here's how India's first vertical lift railway sea bridge will look like, on completion - The Economic Times Video | ET Now - https://m.economictimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/watch-heres-how-indias-first-vertical-lift-railway-sea-bridge-will-look-like-on-completion/videoshow/78128117.cms
