Meri Saheli

Indian Railways has launched “Meri Saheli” initiative for focused action to ensure safety and security of women across all the zones in India to lady passengers travelling by trains for her entire journey from starting station to destination station.

It is an initiative of Railway Protection Force (RPF), which involved the interaction with lady passengers especially those travelling alone by a team of RPF personnel at the originating or starting station. These lady passengers are briefed about all the precautions to be taken during the journey and told to dial 182 just in case they face or see any problem within the coach. The RPF team collects only the seat numbers of the women and conveys them to stoppages on the way to their destination station. The platform duty RPF personnel at the stopping stations en-route keep inconspicuous watch at the concerned coaches and berths and if need arises, interact with the woman passengers. RPF/RPSF escort onboard also covers all the coaches/identified berths during its shift.

Railway Protective Force at the destination station will take the response from the identified lady passengers. The action taken would be based on the feedback by the lady passengers. If some distress signal comes from a train covered under “Meri Saheli” initiative, the disposal of the decision is monitored at the extent of senior officers.

It was started as a trial purpose in South Eastern Railway Zone and after getting good response from lady passengers, it had been extended to all the zones in India.

Railway Protection Force (RPF)

Government of India formed the Railway Protection Force by passing the law in an Indian Parliament as Railway Protection Force Act, 1957 to ensure the safety and security of railway passengers and property. RPF comes under the Ministry of Railways.