10 March,2026 09:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Each desk operates round the clock with two police personnel on rotational duty. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Mumbai's suburban and mainline railway network ferries millions of passengers every day. With such massive footfall across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, incidents such as overcrowding, theft, accidents, harassment, medical emergencies, missing persons, and loss of belongings are frequently reported.
Certain groups of travellers, including women, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, children, and visitors to the city, are especially vulnerable and often need immediate guidance or support. Maintaining public order, preventing crime, and responding quickly during emergencies also require a structured support system at the station level.
To address these challenges, the Mumbai Railway Police Commissionerate has set up dedicated help desks for passengers at key stations.
The desks are designed to register complaints, provide emergency support, help locate missing persons, assist with lost property, and coordinate with relevant authorities.
A total of 86 Railway Passenger Police Help Desks have been established across stations under the Commissioner of Police (Mumbai Railway), M Rakesh Kalasagar.
Each desk operates round the clock with two police personnel on rotational duty. A register is maintained at every desk to log passenger requests, and a standard operating procedure (SOP) defines the roles and duties of deployed personnel.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Central Railway has busted a narcotics smuggling network and seized 43 kilograms of drugs worth Rs 12.82 lakh in two separate operations conducted in Nagpur and Kalaburagi earlier this month.
In the first operation on February 6, the RPF team at Nagpur station intercepted a suspect during surveillance duty. A team comprising an inspector, an assistant sub-inspector and two RPF personnel stopped a man carrying two bags. During a search conducted in the presence of witnesses, officials recovered nine packets of ganja weighing 24.80 kg, estimated to be worth Rs 3.72 lakh.
The accused, identified as Shahid Khan, a resident of Bhind in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly confessed during questioning that he was transporting the narcotics to Gwalior. He was taken into custody and handed over to the Government Railway Police (GRP), Nagpur, along with the seized contraband for further investigation.
In another operation on February 3, the RPF team at Kalaburagi, in coordination with the GRP, seized 18.20 kg of ganja worth Rs 9.10 lakh during a joint inspection of Train No. 11020 Konark Express.
Officials discovered an unclaimed bag under berth number 41 in coach B-1 while checking the train at Kalaburagi station.
The bag contained 18 bundles of ganja, which were seized and sealed following due procedure in the presence of witnesses. A case against an unknown person has been registered at Wadi police station.
Central Railway officials said the operations highlight the strong coordination between the RPF and GRP in curbing drug trafficking through the railway network.
Passengers have been urged to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to railway authorities or call the railway helpline 139 for assistance.
