Rail Budget 2013: Bansal promises more ladies special locals, women RPF

Announcing the Rail Budget 2013 in Parliament, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said women safety along with cleanliness and hygiene and amenities for passengers remain his top priority. He not only promised more guards and ladies special local trains, but also a helpline number to safeguard women during travel. [caption id=“attachment_639852” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Reuters[/caption] In addition to the four companies that have been set up, Bansal promised an additional eight new companies of women RPF so that all lady special trains will be escorted by women RPF personnel. In addition, there would be a ten percent women reservation in Railway Protection Force. Some of the recommendations of Anil Kakodkar and Sam Pitroda commissions have been taken into consideration and will be dealt with, Bansal said. Speaking of ways of preventing accidents, Bansal said that anti-collision devices needed to be put to rigorous trials. He further spoke of eliminating 10,997 unmanned level crossing and added that no new unmanned level crossings will be set up. Fire retardant materials will be used in coaches. He also spoke of introducing SPART trains - Self-propellant accident relief trains.