In 2018, RPF addressed over 3,000 security-related calls

New Delhi: It was in between 2:40 to 3 pm on Saturday when a call came at Railway Protection Force (RPF) security helpline 182. The RPF personnel sitting at the desk received it and greeted the caller and asked how he can help.

The caller told the personnel about the luggage that he left in the train. His details were taken and fed in an emergency helpline software.

Within a few minutes, a message arrived in the caller's phone that the RPF team will check the train and will get back to him. It is the 24X7 hours routine of the RPF helpline control room. In 2018, RFP had received 2,69,817 calls in which 3,211 calls were addressable.

"A message was also sent to the nearby RPF post located in the direction of the train," said RPF personnel sitting in the control room.

Meanwhile, the RPF personnel also created a ticket carrying all the details of the complaint.

"After receiving the complaint, the staff will check the train and then get back to us with the report whether they found the luggage or not and then, we will inform the caller about the final status of his things," added the RPF personnel.

Inside a room, 12 RPF personnel with four computers attends the calls 24*7.

On Saturday, from 12 am to 2:40 pm, more than 300 calls had come to the helpline number (182) which includes complaints regarding missing luggage, tablet, spectacle and a jacket.

In the control room, personnel were busy attending calls and pop-up messages were also coming in the computer.

Explaining more, another RPF personnel stated that apart from uploading details in the software, they also write the details in their registers.

"During one call, a person who was travelling from Mumbai had some health issue so he called 182 and immediate assistance was provided to him," added the personnel.

According to data accessed by Millennium Post, in year 2018, action were taken in 3,211 security related calls which includes luggage theft~330, stone pelting~27, entry of gents in ladies coach~198, female harassment~37, fight~278, smoking cigarette or drinking alcohol~61, people travelling in disabled coaches~154, robbery~4, chain snatching~2, people sitting in someone else reserved seats~389, luggage missing~1086, medical facilities~155 calls and

others.

Senior Divisional Security Commissioner (West) Rajiv Kumar stated that after getting calls, action was taken quickly.

"The helpline number has come for the benefits of travellers," said Kumar.

Non-security related calls

Meanwhile, in the control room, a call came where the caller asked the personnel whether it is customer care number of DTH company.

"Calls related recharges, bank details, dental checkup, invertor repairing also come to the helpline number," said an official.

According to 2018 data, as many as 2,69,817 calls came to the helpline and many of them were fake or non-security related calls.

"We want to let people know about the actual purpose of the helpline number which is to help person in distress," said an RPF official adding that soon they can use GPS system in the helpline number.

Senior Divisional Security Commissioner (East) Shahshi Kumar stated that pamphlets are distributed, stickers are pasted, boards are fixed in railway areas, announcements are made through public address system to make aware passengers to use RPF helpline 182 in case of need.