Mumbai Government Railway Police Commissioner M Rakesh Kalasagar has assured traders that their bags will not be checked at railway stations without a valid reason, after allegations that traders were repeatedly stopped and asked for money during security checks.
Kalasagar gave the assurance at a programme organised by Bharat Merchants, according to a note issued by the Bharat Merchants Chamber. He said traders facing problems could contact him directly and that he would personally look into their complaints.
The assurance followed allegations by chamber president Manoj Jalan that traders travelling through stations served by Mail and Express trains were frequently asked to open their bags in the name of security checks. Jalan alleged that when cash was found, some traders faced demands for money.
“Traders are repeatedly asked to open their bags at railway stations in the name of checking. When cash is found there are demands for money,” Jalan said, according to the chamber’s note. He called for baggage scanners at the stations to reduce the need for manual inspection of traders’ luggage.
Responding to the demand, Kalasagar said he had requested the Railways to provide baggage scanners. He said the equipment would reduce the need for bags to be opened for physical inspection. The commissioner also said instructions had already been issued that baggage checks should be carried out only when absolutely necessary and in front of cameras.
The issue is particularly relevant to traders using Mumbai’s railway network to travel along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad belt. Rajiv Singal, a chamber trustee and member of the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee, described the belt as a major economic corridor for textile and jewellery trade. He said traders should not be harassed in the name of security or baggage checks.
Kalasagar said the Mumbai GRP has a force of around 4,500 personnel, with some deployed for security on 37 Mail and Express trains. He added that the GRP works with the Railway Protection Force to monitor railway security through around 8,000 CCTV cameras.
The commissioner also said the GRP traces the families of unattended children and women found on railway platforms before handing them over to their relatives. Passengers and traders facing difficulties were asked to contact the GRP control room on 1512. Kalasagar said complaints received through the number were reviewed and followed up.
He separately urged passengers not to carry sharp or pointed objects that could cause injuries, citing two recent incidents involving such items. The GRP’s instructions on baggage checks and the request for railway scanners are the next steps identified at the meeting.
