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The Chairman Railway Board Shri R.K. Singh has said that onerous responsibility has devolved on the Railway Protection Force (RPF) assuming the powers of police in containing petty crimes including escorting of trains, guarding ladies compartments and security of passenger areas at platforms with the recent amendment in the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957. Speaking at the 20th RPF Raising Day Parade as the Chief Guest here today, Shri Singh took salute, greeted the Force on the occasion and said that RPF had now special role to play in plugging leakages of revenues on account of overweight and undercharging of parcel and freight traffic and ticketless travelling. He complimented the Force for having come out unscathed in fighting insurgency including election related duties alongwith other Forces of the Union. Shri Singh pinned up Medals—President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and Police Medal for Meritorious Service on to the Officers and Jawans of the Force on the occasion. These medals were received on the eve of the Republic Day 2004.
The Chairman assured the Force that their exemplary performance would be rewarded. He announced an award of Rs. 1.5 lakhs to the RPF personnel who took part in the Raising Day Parade.
Earlier, the Director General of RPF Shri A.K. Suri in his welcome address congratulated the Force. He informed them that about 8000 vacancies would be filled soon. He also told the members of the Force that the Government was committed to modernize it. A package of provision of transport, wireless and walkie-talkie equipment, and other accessories was being provided for improving efficiency and mobility of the RPF.
The Parade concluded with a fiat of RPF Dog Squad displaying some of the modus operandi of the highly trained sniffer dogs in tackling crimes on Railways.
The RPF has evolved from chowkidari to a modern Armed Force of the Union over the years.
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