The Railway Protection Force (RPF) celebrated its 39th Raising Day on September 23 at the Training Centre in Moula-Ali. This is the second time that a National Level Parade of RPF was organised outside New Delhi, last year being in Lucknow, and was joined by retired RPF personnels for the first time.
Minister of State for Railways, Coal & Mines, Raosaheb Patil Danve, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and took the salute of the Parade.
Addressing the occasion, the minister said that the Railway Protection Force plays an important role in ensuring safe travel and protection for passengers. “Apart from that, RPF, through all of its zones, also actively conducts social activities, including blood donation, cleanliness drive, plantation etc. Moreover, nine percent of vacancies in the RPF are allotted for the women, who are trained for commandos much like the police force. I look forward to celebrating the Raising Day in different cities across the country every year,” said the Minister.
The minister presented the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Service, Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak and Jeevan Raksha Padak to 42 RPF personnel.
Speaking to The Hindu, Anup Kumar Shukla, the Senior Divisional Security Commissioner for Hyderabad cum the Principal of the RPF training centre, Moula Ali, said that earlier, the Raising day was celebrated by organising parades and other functions at the zonal, divisional and battalion levels. “However, from last year, it has been decided to organise only one parade at the central level including all the 16 zones to symbolise the national character of the force,” he said.
Mr. Shukla took charge of RPF training centre about four months ago and had managed to successfully organise the parade by ensuring the showcasing of skills and other displays of work was well rehearsed by the jawans.
The Railway Protection Force was constituted by an Act of Parliament in 1957 for providing security to Railway property. Subsequently, the force was empowered to enquire, arrest and prosecute the offenders involved in unlawful possession of railway property in 1966.
Over the years, it was felt that the force needed to be given the status of An Armed Force of the Union and finally the status was bestowed upon the force on September 20, 1985 by amending the RPF Act by the Parliament. As a result, September 20 is celebrated every year as the Raising Day of RPF by members of the force and their families.
