Concerns Mount Over Passenger Safety in Southern Railway After Varkala Incident

Thiruvananthapuram: The recent incident in Varkala, where a young woman was pushed off a train, has intensified concerns over passenger safety in the Southern Railway zone. Official figures indicate a steady rise in crimes on trains and railway premises, but authorities have not taken sufficient measures to ensure safety.

In a 2019 Lok Sabha reply, the Railway Minister had informed that 2,986 theft cases and 980 assaults against women passengers were reported in the Southern Railway zone. The data reflects a year-on-year increase in crime rates, yet the response from railway authorities remains inadequate. Despite the growing threat to passengers, steps to strengthen security arrangements have been minimal.

Across Kerala, the Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad divisions together have only 757 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel. There are 30 vacancies in the Thiruvananthapuram division and 35 in the Palakkad division, while recruitment still follows the outdated 1977 staff pattern. At present, RPF personnel are stationed only at select locations including Nagercoil Junction, the DRM offices, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Thiruvananthapuram North, Ernakulam Junction, Shoranur Junction, Kannur, and Mangaluru Central stations.

Trains across the state continue to operate in overcrowded conditions. Around nine lakh people travel daily through the Southern Railway network, but security arrangements are activated only after incidents occur. Regular checks on platforms and trains, as well as escort duties, are supposed to be part of the RPF’s responsibilities, yet these are often neglected. Many CCTV cameras at major stations are non-functional, and though the railway had announced plans to install surveillance cameras inside coaches, the project has seen little progress.

In March 2025, Members of Parliament raised questions in the Lok Sabha regarding the rising number of crimes in the railway network. However, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw did not present any figures, stating that the RPF does not maintain such records. He explained that the investigation of registered cases falls under the jurisdiction of state police departments.

Kerala has more than 130 train services, but except for the two pairs of Vande Bharat Express and the Thiruvananthapuram–Chennai AC Superfast Express, all others continue to face serious security risks. The lack of adequate manpower, poor surveillance, and outdated staffing patterns continue to leave millions of passengers vulnerable during their daily journeys.