Indian Railways to construct platform amenities for runaway children

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The ‘no one’s youngsters’ that you just typically see loitering round railway platforms have a hope. The Indian Railways is engaged on creating child-friendly areas in any respect essential platforms in affiliation with Hope for the Children Foundation (HFCF). 

One such facility already exists at Pune railway station, the place youngsters recovered from platforms are endorsed. Minister of State for Railways Darshana Jardosh mentioned extra such amenities for underprivileged children had been within the offing. These amenities will supply child-friendly leisure, video games and a home-like ambiance.

According to railway sources, in 4 months of this 12 months alone, the Railway Protection Force has recovered 2,201 youngsters loitering in and round railway areas and travelling in trains in a suspicious method. These youngsters have been handed over to their dad and mom after counseling. Most of those youngsters fled their properties over petty points.

In 2021, the RPF recovered 11,900 such youngsters. “We need to have home-like spaces at railway stations where the children recovered by RPF should be kept in an amiable atmosphere. We can hand over these children to their parents after counseling,” mentioned a senior railway official.