Railway Security Takes Centre Stage as GRP Chiefs Call for Intelligence-Led Policing and Stronger Coordination
New Delhi, 24 October 2026: Intelligence-led policing, technology-driven surveillance and stronger coordination among security agencies were the key priorities at the 8th All India Conference of Government Railway Police (GRP) Chiefs, which concluded in New Delhi on 23 October 2026.
Organised by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), the conference was chaired by RPF Director General Sonali Mishra and attended by Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar, Board members, and GRP chiefs from States and Union Territories.
RailMadad Integration to Improve Passenger Services
A major development was the onboarding of GRP personnel onto the RailMadad platform by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS). The integration aims to improve complaint monitoring, accelerate grievance redressal and facilitate timely information-sharing among railway security agencies.
Technology-Driven and Community-Based Safety
South Central Railway presented its “Pink Patrol: Eyes in the Sky, SHAKTI on the Ground” initiative, combining drone-assisted surveillance with ground-level response teams under the SHAKTI framework.
Delegates also discussed preventing stone-pelting on trains through targeted patrols at vulnerable locations, improved surveillance, strict action against offenders and youth outreach. Stronger coordination between RPF and GRP was highlighted as essential.
Festival Crowd Management
With Diwali and Chhath generating heavy passenger traffic, the conference emphasised advance planning and coordinated crowd management.
Northern Railway’s Delhi Division outlined joint arrangements involving Delhi Police, GRP and Delhi Metro authorities. These include CCTV surveillance, public announcements, barricading, designated holding areas and dedicated control rooms to support safe passenger movement.
Project DISHA Encourages Railway Safety Awareness
Central Railway’s Pune Division showcased Project DISHA (Dedicated Initiative for Safety, Harmony & Awareness), which engages children living near railway tracks through educational activities, recreational programmes and safety awareness sessions.
Working with NGOs, National Service Scheme volunteers and local communities, the initiative seeks to discourage trespassing, stone-pelting, theft and other dangerous behaviour.
Stronger Intelligence-Sharing and Investigation
The conference examined joint RPF–GRP training, sabotage prevention, narcotics-related information-sharing and improvements in digital evidence management. Standardised procedures, stronger investigative capabilities and better supporting infrastructure were also discussed.
Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar stressed coordinated action, technological innovation and operational efficiency to address emerging security challenges. He also highlighted the importance of courteous, professional policing in building passenger confidence.
Concluding the conference, RPF Director General Sonali Mishra underlined intelligence-led policing as a cornerstone of railway security.
The discussions reinforced the need for sustained cooperation among railway authorities, RPF, GRP and State Police to protect passengers, railway infrastructure and the efficient operation of the national rail network.
By Suman Munshi
Chief Editor, IBG NEWS
Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India, 24 October 2026.
