Ahmedabad
Several cases of missing children are lodged with the Government Railway Police every year
Updated : Jul 19, 2018, 06:30 AM IST
The Kalupur Railway station has launched a 24-hour helpline service for children in distress. As per railway authorities, they will set up a 'Child Help Desk' which will be functional round the clock, helping find missing and runaway children.
Several cases of missing children are lodged with the Government Railway Police (GRP) every year, where the children are either found at the railway station or in trains. With the desk installed at the station, authorities hope to provide help to such children.
A total of 10 experts would be present at the help desk at any given time to care for and counsel kids who are found on railway premises, and help them reunite with their families.
In 2017, around 1,000 cases of missing children were lodged with the GRP, while this year, 300 cases have been registered until now.
This initiative should go a long way to boost officials' efforts to help children at the railway station itself. Pradeep Sharma, PRO of Ahmedabad Division of Railway said, "In Ahmedabad division, six more stations will get the child help desk and they will help solve these cases. By calling the 1098 number, anyone can directly contact the desk for help."