Women RPF staff get summer rush training

The railways is giving training for its women Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff to manage crowds, offer security, and provide better services to passengers at railway stations and on trains forseeing the summer vacation travel rush.The initiative is being held because many women constables are posted at stations and are also deployed on trains. Of 446 RPF personnel, 96 are women in Thiruvananthapuram division.A railway official said that it was a capacity-building exercise designed to empower women personnel by enhancing their professional capabilities, personal resilience and overall well-being, considered to be the key attributes for effective policing in today's dynamic environment. Titled ‘Celebrating Strength, Safety & Resilience', the sessions provide insights into challenges faced by women in the force and their solutions, physical and mental health, legal rights, workplace safety and strategies to build resilience in demanding roles. More than 100 RPF women officers and staff from various divisions of Southern Railway took part. Thiruvananthapuram divisional security commissioner Muhammed Haneef said "Policing today demands not just physical presence, but mental strength, emotional resilience and informed decision-making. Empowering women in uniform is not an option — it is essential for building a more sensitive, effective and future-ready force."