Five major railway stations under Salem Railway Division will soon have 24/7 help desk for women, said P. Ponraj, Divisional Security Commissioner, here on Thursday.

The first such help desks were inaugurated at the Coimbatore and Salem junctions for three days from Thursday to sensitise ‘182’ toll free number to the women.

The programme has been organised by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to mark the ‘Women Safety Fortnight’ from March 26 to April 9 as per the instructions from Railway Board. The Railway Ministry has announced 2018 as the Year for Women Safety in Railways.

In the next phase, the help desks would be inaugurated in Erode, Tirupur and Karur railway stations, Mr. Ponraj said. He added that RPF was committed to ensure the safety of women and children travelling in trains, and in the railway stations

During this fortnight, RPF personnel would interact with women passengers on safety issues in trains and on railway premises. They would give safety tips to women passengers such as not to accept eatables from strangers and to keep their valuables safe during travel. Women were told to alert the RPF if they found unclaimed and suspicious objects and bags in trains or on station premises.

RPF had been escorting all night trains to ensure the safety of passengers, especially women. Besides installing CCTV cameras at major stations, they were also patrolling at all wayside stations. Unauthorised persons in the ladies compartment were being removed by RPF personnel regularly, Mr. Ponraj said.

The help desk at the Coimbatore junction was inaugurated by Deeksha Chaudhari, Assistant Divisional Mechanical Engineer, in the presence of Station Director Satheesh Saravanan, Station Manager L. Chinnaraju. Railway Police Inspector Charles and RPF Inspector P. Vijaykumar. Ms. Chaudhari and officials distributed pamphlets and cards with the helpline number to the women passengers at the junction.