The 8th All India Conference of Government Railway Police (GRP) Chiefs, convened by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), concluded in New Delhi on 23 October 2026. The conference focused on addressing emerging security challenges, sharing best practices, and strengthening coordination among RPF, GRP, and State Police. Presided over by Director General of RPF Ms. Sonali Mishra, the event was attended by Chairman and CEO of Railway Board Shri Satish Kumar, Railway Board members, and GRP chiefs from various States and Union Territories.
A significant development was the onboarding of GRP personnel onto the RailMadad platform by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), aimed at improving passenger grievance redressal, timely information-sharing, and complaint monitoring. The conference featured detailed deliberations on various security initiatives, including South Central Railway's women-led "Pink Patrol" model that integrates drone-assisted surveillance with rapid-response teams under the SHAKTI framework.
Stone-pelting on trains was identified as a key challenge, with emphasis on hotspot-based patrolling, enhanced surveillance, strict action against offenders, youth outreach, and stronger RPF-GRP coordination. Community awareness and preventive engagement were recognized as important deterrents to such incidents.
The conference placed special emphasis on crowd management during upcoming festivals including Diwali and Chhath. Northern Railway's Delhi Division highlighted coordinated efforts with Delhi Police, GRP, and Delhi Metro authorities, supported by CCTV surveillance, public announcements, barricading, designated holding areas, and dedicated control rooms. Advance planning, efficient passenger-flow management, and coordinated deployment of security personnel were emphasized to ensure safe passenger movement during peak periods.
Central Railway's Pune Division presented Project DISHA (Dedicated Initiative for Safety, Harmony & Awareness), which engages children living near railway tracks through educational and recreational activities, safety awareness sessions, and community-based interventions. The project collaborates with NGOs, National Service Scheme volunteers, and local communities to foster awareness about railway safety and discourage stone-pelting, theft, trespassing, and other unsafe practices.
Additional deliberations covered joint RPF-GRP training, sabotage prevention, prompt information-sharing on narcotics detection, digital evidence handling, standardized procedures, intelligence-sharing, strengthened investigative capabilities, and supporting infrastructure. The Chairman and CEO of Railway Board emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts, technological advancements, innovation, and shared commitment among railway authorities to address evolving security challenges while building passenger confidence through courteous and professional policing.