Separate compartments to ferry undertrials soon

The railway ministry is planning separate compartments in express trains to ferry convicts and undertrials.

At present, convicts and undertrials travel along with other passengers.

The move has got the green signal from railway minister Mamata Banerjee, but a blue print is yet to be created.

A ministry official said the issue was raised at a conference of railway general managers in New Delhi in March. “The initiative has got the railway minister’s approval since it is a matter related to the safety of passengers,” he said. 

The ministry, however, was non-committal on the time-frame in which the plan will be executed. 

The railways will have to make structural changes and standardise bogies to implement the plan. “We need to ensure convicts are alienated from other passengers. Also, facilities must be created for policemen escorting them,” the official said.  

Trains are preferred to transport undertrials as it is a cheaper travel mode than road journeys.

The initiative may be a result of last year’s Mathura incident in which the Delhi-bound Goa Express rammed a stationary Mewar Express.

The Mewar Express was allegedly brought to a halt by an onboard miscreant who was trying to flee police custody.

A subsequent signal failure led to the Goa Express ramming it.