CR tops in passengers calls to railway helpline

According to the railway ministry, the Central Railway (CR) leads in the number of calls made by passengers to security emergency-related railway helpline number '182'. In a statement made by the minister of state for railways, Rajen Gohain, in Parliament on Friday, CR is followed by North-Central Railway and Northern Railway in the number of calls made to 182.

"During 2015 and 2016 (up to June), 7,897 and 6,092 complaints were received, respectively, over the helpline number 182. The routes on the CR, followed by North Central Railway and Northern Railway, are found to be receiving maximum number of complaints," said Gohain, in a written reply.

The fact that CR is on the top of this list has brought about a debate on whether it was a good thing or bad. The ones taking it as a credit said the top-ranking for CR was possibly because of the high awareness among passengers about the helpline. "The fact that we have advertised the number so often in the local trains means passengers travelling from Mumbai are well aware of it," said an official.

Another reason, an official said, was because of the better mobile network coverage in Maharashtra, compared to other states. "It is possible that the 182 line is getting more calls from CR, which covers almost all of Maharashtra, because of the better mobile telephone infrastructure here. In other states, thanks to a weak network, many passengers who want to call up 182 might not be getting connected," said the official.

The naysayers, of course, have turned on these arguments on the head. They want the numbers to be seen as they are. "If the maximum number of calls on security helpline number 182 are from CR, it means maximum number of security-related emergencies are arising on the CR route. That is something to be proud of and the RPF should do something about it," said a senior official.

RPF's work in 2015

People prosecuted for offences under the Railway Act: 2,132,332
People convicted from the above group: 2,047,275
Fines collected for these offenders: Rs612,595,652