Under operation ‘Amanat’, WR’s RPF help passengers find lost items

Surat : The RPF has recovered 6905 pieces of luggage totaling around Rs. 14.52 Cr. in the last five years (2019–2023 upto March) as part of Operation ‘Amanat’.

Security on Western Railway is always looking for new ways to improve safety and comfort for riders. The RPF also plays a crucial role in making sure their bags and belongings get to their destination safely. The RPF has taken an innovative step in this direction to facilitate the recovery of misplaced luggage. The direction is the focus of regular drives and operations. Shri Praveen Chandra Sinha, the IG cum Principal Chief Security Commissioner for Western Railway, is in charge of these operations.

According to WR’s Chief Public Relations Officer Sumit Thakur, some passengers leave behind valuables in the excitement of boarding the train or departing the station. RPF members participate in “Operation Amanat,” which aims to recover such items and return them to their rightful owners. In the last five years (from 2019 to 2023* up until March), the RPF has recovered luggage in 6905 cases worth approximately Rs. 14.52 Cr. as part of Operation ‘Amanat. More than Rs. 14.52 Cr was distributed in the form of 3876 bags, 489 purses, 61 pieces of jewelry, 1996 mobile phones, and 636 other items. After proper identification checks, passengers received their abandoned bags.Shri Thakur continued by saying that in 2023 alone, the RPF has recovered the belongings of 937 passengers with a total value of around Rs.2.19 Cr. The Western Railway Railway Protection Force (RPF) works nonstop to ensure that passengers are safe, secure, and have a pleasant journey. By using both preventative and investigative measures, RPF has been able to fulfil its duty of protecting the vast railway assets dispersed across the country.

In addition, the RPF of WR established ‘Operation Dusra’ CIB teams to go after illegal vendors and a ‘Crime Prevention and Detection Squad’ to patrol major stations in search of criminal activity. The RPF at WR has organised a number of safety and hygiene awareness programmes to keep train operations running smoothly. A total of 57,517 illegal vendors were detained in 2022/23 under the Railways Act’s criminal Section 144(1). Out of this number, repeat offenders accounted for 20,195 unauthorised vendors. More than Rs.1.87 cr was collected in fines from these suppliers. Arrests of illegal vendors are up by about 39.14%, and revenue from fines is up by about 53.32%, compared to the previous year. The RPF of Western Railway are the dedicated sentinels who patrol the tracks.