The Western Railway has decided to enlist the services of 232 personnel of the Maharashtra State Security Corporation (MSSC) and 97 women home guards to ensure the safety of passengers on the suburban railway network.

A.K. Gupta, General Manager, Western Railways, said: “We plan to instil a sense of safety in commuters by installing CCTV cameras and mobile apps for women’s safety. The overall strength of railway officers has increased by 32%. The number of women home guards will now stand at 192. We hope to add more personnel every year.”

The MSSC personnel will be deployed to control crowds on the 34 critical foot overbridges and all stations on the Western Line. The women home guards will be deployed to ensure there is no overcrowding in front of the ladies’ coaches at Andheri station.

The home guards will also assist women constables of the Railway Protection Force, the Mahila Quick Response Teams, to provide assistance to women passengers. The women home guards will also ensure security at platforms and booking offices.

The officers have already attended a two-day briefing and will be now trained by the RPF for three months. They will also have to go through a two-month induction period. The personnel will be provided with mobile phones to inform authorities of suspicious activities. “We will be covering 37 stations. One team will be posted at each station,” an RPF official said.