Bombay High Court today directed the Railway Board and Maharashtra government to clear expeditiously a proposal to deploy additional 100 GRP officials across suburban railway stations and in local trains to ensure safety of women commuters.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha was hearing a suo moto (on its own) public interest litigation based on newspaper reports and a PIL filed by NGO Help Mumbai Foundation regarding women's safety in the city and while travelling in local trains.
On the last hearing, the court was informed that on request from the Government Railway Police (GRP) for additional 100 security guards, the state government had sanctioned it but had asked the railways to bear 50 per cent of the cost.
The Railway Board today informed the High Court that it was ready to bear 50 per cent of the cost incurred to deploy additional GRP officials, but a formal proposal needs to be sent by the finance department of the state government assuring that it would bear the other 50 per cent cost.
Advocate General Darius Khambata said the government has already agreed to incur 50 per cent cost, but if the Railway Board needs a formal proposal it would do so.
The bench directed the state finance department to forward its proposal to bear 50 per cent cost by October 11 to the Railway Board.
"The Railway Board shall thereafter pass necessary orders for deployment of 100 additional posts of GRP by November 10," the court said.
